• by Teresa Buyikian , Yesterday

You can’t mess with Bostonians and their beverages.

The response from Boston natives to last week’s comments from RFK Jr. putting Dunkin’ and Starbucks on notice for the amount of sugar in their beverages has been swift, blunt -- and, well, very Boston.

Last week the Health and Human Services Director said at a rally in Austin, Texas, “We’re going to ask Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks, ‘Show us the safety data that show that it’s OK for a teenage girl to drink an iced coffee with 115 grams of sugar in it.’”

While this statement is problematic for a plethora of reasons (Why the focus on teenage girls? Why just Dunkin’ and Starbucks? Why should Americans listen to a man who exercises in jeans and admittedly snorted cocaine off toilets seats? I could go on...) Bostonians took particular offense to the remarks targeted at their native son Dunkin’.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D)  wasted little time in her response, posting on Wednesday via X an image of the “Come and Take It” flag, which was used at the start of the Texas Revolution. Except Healey’s post replaced what was originally the flag’s cannon with a Dunkin’ cup. 

Bostonians have come out in mass on social and mainstream media, with prominent native influencers such as Boston Dad (@officialbonstondad) responding with a video saying, “He’s crazy if he thinks me, and the rest of the nutjobs that live here, are gonna let him take away the only joy most of us miserable Massholes have left.”

“I fear for the future of our country…” commented influencer Maxy, while others posted images of the “Don’t Tread on Me” flag altered to read “Donut Tread on Me.” Several posted Boston Tea Party illustrations.

“I grew up on Dunkin’. I run on Dunkin’. I’ve never not run on Dunkin,” said a Bostonian Dunkin’ customer in a local CBS news interview, after which the reporter happily ordered the highest sugar content drink the chain offers.  

The ire towards RFK Jr. is gaining speed outside Boston as well, with LGBTQ+ publication them running the story, “RFK Jr. Can Take Dunkin’ From Our Cold Dead Gay Hands,” which humorously discusses how iced coffee has been “memed as part of a nutrient rich homosexual diet."

Neither Dunkin’ or Starbucks have responded publicly to RFK Jr.'s comments, but today Dunkin’ released a new menu featuring Dunkin’ Zero, a zero-sugar energy drink. While not a direct response (we expect Boston natives Ben Affleck and Matt Damon to weigh in any minute now), the timing is pretty perfect.