Dunkin’ Is Testing 48-Ounce Iced Coffee Buckets That Are Already Selling Out

• Dunkin’ is trialling 48-ounce (1.4-litre) “bucket” versions of its iced coffee and Refresher drinks at selected sites in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, costing between $7 and $10.
• The extra-large drinks have sold out rapidly at several branches, pointing to strong initial interest in the social-media-ready format.
• Prompted by last summer’s viral “coffee bucket” trend, the trial could see Dunkin’ become the first national chain to roll out the idea at scale if it succeeds.

Dunkin’ is trying out an enormous new size for its iced drinks - and customers are already buying them up.

The chain told Food & Wine on Tuesday that it is piloting 48-ounce (1.4-litre) “bucket” versions of selected drinks at a small number of New Hampshire and Massachusetts branches. Fitted with carry handles, the oversized plastic containers are being tested at fewer than 10 locations.

Content creator Markie Devo (@markie_devo) first noticed the trial over the weekend. He reported that branches in Durham and Lee, New Hampshire, along with Amherst and Foxboro, Massachusetts, were taking part. Devo and shop employees said prices seem to sit between $7 and $10.

Several branches have already exhausted their first supply. A member of staff at the Amherst branch confirmed by telephone that its buckets sold out on Sunday night, while employees in Durham and Lee said they were also out of stock. Posts in Dunkin’s dedicated subreddit likewise mention sell-outs in Amherst and Lee.

Dunkin’ iced coffee buckets: size and drink options

Outside the trial areas, Dunkin’s biggest available iced coffee is currently 32 ounces (about 950 ml). According to Devo, the new 48-ounce (1.4-litre) size is available for iced coffee and Refreshers, while Dunkin’ told Food & Wine that the trial may also feature iced lattes and certain promoted flavour combinations.

The initiative comes after viral “coffee bucket” posts swept TikTok and Instagram last summer, when independent coffee shops embraced novelty-sized drinks that were highly shareable on social media. Fast Company called it the “wildest caffeine trend” of the season, while the New York Times observed that rapid sell-outs indicated “the gimmick is working.” Should the trial prove successful, Dunkin’ could be the first large national chain to expand the concept.

Dunkin’s 48-ounce bucket, by the numbers

Here is how the oversized drink adds up. Its caffeine content and cost per ounce help place Dunkin’s 48-ounce trial in context.

• How big is it?
  48 ounces (1.4 litres) - equal to two medium 24-ounce (about 710 ml) iced coffees.
• How much caffeine could that mean?
  A medium iced coffee contains around 294 milligrams of caffeine. If the bucket uses coffee of the same strength, it could contain approximately 588 milligrams in total.
• How does that compare with federal guidance?
  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that up to 400 milligrams of caffeine daily - roughly four cups of coffee - is generally considered safe for most adults.
• What does it cost?
  Between $7 and $10 in the trial markets, according to shop employees and social-media posts.
• What is the price per ounce?
  Around 15 to 21 cents per ounce, varying by location.

Exact caffeine levels can differ according to dilution, ice, milk and added flavours.

Caffeine in Dunkin’s 48-ounce coffee bucket

One question remains: how much caffeine does a 48-ounce (1.4-litre) bucket contain? Dunkin’ did not provide precise caffeine figures for the trial drinks, but said the beverages are intended to be shared or drunk over time. A broad estimate can nevertheless be made if the buckets use standard iced coffee and retain the normal ice-to-milk ratio. A 24-ounce (about 710 ml) medium iced coffee has approximately 294 milligrams of caffeine. At 48 ounces (1.4 litres) - two medium drinks - the total could rise to around 588 milligrams.

That figure would be above the 400 milligrams a day that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration regards as generally safe for most adults. Caffeine tolerance differs from person to person, and preparation and dilution can alter caffeine content, but the estimate highlights just how large the new format is.

Interest seems to extend beyond New England. In comments beneath Devo’s Instagram post, users have called for Dunkin’ to launch the buckets nationwide, with some saying they could be particularly popular with shift workers and students.

For the moment, the buckets are confined to a limited regional trial. Yet if the early sell-outs signal anything, Dunkin’ could be testing whether America is ready to drink its iced coffee by the pail.