New York City Runs on Dunkin'

The Center for an Urban Future, a nonpartisan think tank based in Manhattan, released its first-ever ranking (PDF) of the national chain retailers with the most stores in New York City.

Perhaps surprisingly, Starbucks did not even make it into the top three, though the Seattle-based coffee chain does have the biggest presence in Manhattan of any of the 160 retailers surveyed, with 186 stores in the borough and 235 branches citywide. It ranked fourth citywide, behind McDonalds (with 248 stores), Subway (335), and the most prolific chain of them all, Dunkin’ Donuts, with a whopping 348 stores.

We can only presume this means that Manhattanites are willing to pay more for their coffee than their outer-borough brethren.

Rounding out the top five citywide is drug store giant Duane Reade, with 216 outlets, 138 of which are in Manhattan, making it the second biggest chain retailer in the borough.

With 215 stores spread across the five boroughs, Baskin Robbins ranked sixth, followed by Rite Aid (209); Radio Shack (116); GNC (115); and Payless (109). The report found that at least 32 retailers have 50 or more stores throughout the city and an additional 91 have more than 10 outlets here.

The retail analysis is the debut issue of New York by the Numbers, the Center’s new monthly economic snapshot about the five boroughs.