Dunkin’ Donuts’ famous coffee lineup has a bold new addition, as the brand’s new Rainforest Alliance Certified Dark Roast Coffee is now available at Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide – and on September 29th you can get a cup for free! To help kickoff the official nationwide launch Maria Menounos, host of E!’s “Untold”and “Live from E!”  visited a Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant in Santa Monica, California.

Dunkin’ Donuts also announced a special National Coffee Day offer to help America run on Dunkin’s newest, boldest brew. On September 29, National Coffee Day, guests can walk into any participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant across the country and receive a free medium cup of Dunkin’ Donuts hot Dark Roast Coffee, with a limit of one per guest. Then, beginning September 30 through October 5, guests can enjoy a medium cup of Dunkin’ Donuts hot Dark Roast Coffee for the special price of only 99 cents. Dunkin’ Donuts will also be making National Coffee Day a truly global celebration, with offers of free coffee on or around the holiday in most of the brand’s international markets as well.

The new Dark Roast, introduced at Dunkin’ Donuts’ new restaurants in California last month, uses a unique roasting process to bring out key characteristics of different beans, creating a bold flavor and the smooth finish without the bitterness typically associated with most dark roast coffees. Dunkin’ Donuts guests can enjoy the new Dark Roast Coffee served either hot or iced, and it is also available for sale for brewing at home in both packaged coffee and in K-Cup packs, for use with Keurig Brewing systems.

“Our Rainforest Alliance Certified Dark Roast Coffee represents an extraordinary innovation for our brand, a unique blend that offers coffee lovers a bold flavor with a smooth finish without bitterness or a burnt taste, which sets it apart from typical darker roast coffees,” said John Costello, Dunkin’ Brands’ President, Global Marketing and Innovation. “As the nation’s coffee leader, this is a big step in reinforcing our coffee leadership and our commitment to offering our on-the-go guests unique coffee choices and varieties. We look forward to celebrating National Coffee Day with our fans by serving our new Dark Roast Coffee for free, giving everyone the chance to experience dark roast done right.”

Coinciding with the launch of its new Dark Roast Coffee, Dunkin’ Donuts has brewed a new and easy way for people to help support the brand’s efforts to eradicate children’s hunger. The Dunkin’ Donuts & Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation (DDBRCF) today launched its National Community Cups Program, in which guests are invited to make a $1 donation at Dunkin’ Donuts and Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin-Robbins combo restaurants nationwide. In appreciation, guests will receive a paper icon, featuring the iconic Dunkin’ Donuts coffee cup, to sign and display at the restaurant. All funds raised will support The DDBRCF’s efforts to serve local communities by taking care of their basic needs: hunger, children’s health and safety. Launched in 2006, The DDBRCF has granted more than $4.6 million to local charities.

To learn more about Dunkin’ Donuts, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com or follow on Facebook (www.facebook.com/DunkinDonuts) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/DunkinDonuts).