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NEED TO KNOW
- Dunkin’ has renamed its Boston Kreme donut to “Philly Kreme” at select Philadelphia locations during the NBA playoffs
- The temporary name change, effective April 19, supports the Philadelphia 76ers as they face the Boston Celtics in the first playoff round
- Dunkin’ elaborated further on its show of support for the Philadelphia NBA team in a statement
Dunkin’ is picking sides!
That’s right: With the 2026 NBA playoffs underway, the coffee chain is backing the Philadelphia 76ers with a menu change.
In a show of support for the Pennsylvania team, which is currently battling the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs, Dunkin’ is tweaking the name of a staple donut: the Boston Kreme. As of Sunday, April 19, select locations in Philadelphia have renamed the donut the “Philly Kreme” in an effort to back the 76ers.
Celtics fans and Boston Kreme lovers need not fret, however, as the classic, cream-filled donut is not changing — just its name. Plus, the name change is only temporary, Dunkin’ confirmed in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.
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The Philly-forward rebrand kicked off on Sunday as the 76ers took on the Celtics in the teams’ first 2026 playoff game. Though the 76ers lost the first postseason matchup 123-91, they came back with a vengeance on Tuesday, April 21, defeating the Boston team 111-97.
The NBA teams will face off next on Friday, April 24, in the third of several more first-round games. The Philly Kreme donuts will be available at select stores as the Celtics-76ers postseason showdown continues, according to NBC Philadelphia.
In a statement to the Philadelphia outlet, Dunkin’ said despite the new moniker, the chocolate-iced confection will be “the same kreme-filled classic, just with a name Philly fans can get behind.”
“Because during playoffs, there’s no room for Boston in Philly,” the chain’s statement continued, “not on the court, and definitely not in a dozen donut box.”
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Dunkin’ also addressed the unexpected allegiance to the Philadelphia team despite its Boston-area roots. Per NBC Philadelphia, the chain said it wanted to rebrand the donut because “Philly really knows how to run on Dunkin’.”
Inspired by a classic dessert, the Boston cream pie, the Boston Kreme is a longtime Dunkin’ menu staple with a whole lot of history. The treat even became the “official donut of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives” in 2003, according to the chain.
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The latest news from Dunkin’ comes as the brand makes headlines for a massive giveaway.
The chain handed out one million free coffees on Tuesday, April 21 — a move that came after the company shared both the deal’s promo code and clues for its summer menu in a cryptic social media post on Friday, April 17. “Just gonna leave this here,” Dunkin’ wrote in the caption.
As for the upcoming seasonal menu hints, one note in the post remarked, “Things I miss. oreo coolatta,” referencing the Oreo-flavored frozen beverage that the chain featured on its menu in 2015 — and potentially indicating its return for the summer.
Read the original article on People