Lou Balzani has ordered through Dunkin's app three to four times a week for years — but he's rethinking his loyalty in light of the coffee chain's new rewards program.
"The new Dunkin' Rewards system is honestly insulting... We're we're breaking up. It's not me, it's you," the 30-year-old tweeted on Sunday.
Balzani plans to take his business elsewhere based on the changes, he tells CNBC Make It, which he describes as a "pay more and get less" scheme that's been obfuscated by a new points system.
Other diehard Dunkin' patrons have expressed similar sentiments on social media, with some saying they've uninstalled the rewards program's app on their phones.
As part of the revamped program, the company says that consumers can earn points twice as fast as they did with the old DD Perks program: Now they earn 10 points rather than five for every $1 spent. However, the redemption value for free drinks has increased.
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Previously, customers could redeem $40 worth of purchases for any drink, including premium items. Now, that same amount will only get you a shot of espresso or a tea.
Under the new Dunkin' Rewards program, premium drinks like the Signature Latte now require $90 in purchases, more than double what customers previously paid.
The program does offer some new perks. One big change is that food can be redeemed for the first time, with some items offered for less than $40 in purchases. Mini hash browns and doughnut holes can be claimed with $15 in purchases, while a doughnut can be claimed for $25 in purchases.
Money Report
Dunkin' Rewards offers a "Boosted Status," which awards 1.2 points for every dollar spent for customers who visit a Dunkin' location 12 or more times per month.
However, these perks don't address the actual needs of Dunkin's most loyal customers, Balzani says.
"I've been a regular customer for 10 to 12 years and the food was never a big selling point for me," he says. "When what you actually buy gets rolled back with no real replacement or additional benefit, that's where you start to feel taken advantage of."
CNBC Make It reached out to Dunkin' for comment about its new rewards program.
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