Bureacracy hath its privileges

Apparently, the SEC has its own, personal Dunkin' Donuts. That is, it's located inside the SEC building, so unless you get wanded, and presumably, inveigle someone to tell security you belong there, you cannot get in.

I'm mad enough that the government has put metal detectors between me and the airplane. But when government security is standing between me and my french crullers, I think they've gone too damn far.

Comments

Or, you can get in if you work there and display your ID badge.

Posted by Rickm | October 2, 2007 4:38 PM

Or you can go to Boston, where there's a Harvard MBA running a Dunkin Donuts on every corner.

Posted by mike | October 2, 2007 4:48 PM

Many government facilities have this kind of arrangement: the Pentagon and other military installations. I beleive the vendors bid for the privilige of operating inside the fence.

Posted by George 3 | October 2, 2007 4:53 PM

Hmm, French crullers... They're so light and sweet -- how do they do that?!?

Posted by Klug | October 2, 2007 5:16 PM

That would explain a lot of the brain dead comments companies get from Corp Fin--they're all on a sugary, trans-fat high

Posted by Steven Donegal | October 2, 2007 6:08 PM

But when government security is standing between me and my french crullers, I think they've gone too damn far.

I think that's the bureaucrats' point-- they don't wish to go through security to get their doughnuts.

Did they pass some sort of law that Dunkin Donuts can *only* be inside secure locations? If not, I don't understand this post. Companies have cafeterias, some with contracted out services. Companies also have security allowing only employees or people on business in. This all seems non-objectionable and typical.

Posted by John Thacker | October 2, 2007 6:08 PM

I have worked for a large, large corporation that continually has fast-food chains and restaurants opening up stands in the cafeteria. It is no big thang.

DD's coffee sucks, btw. Most overrated consumable ever.

Posted by Woody Bombay | October 2, 2007 10:05 PM

How many people have to work in a secured building for a vendor such as DD to find it profitable to run a shop inside the security perimeter? And what does the SEC need that many people for?

Posted by markm | October 2, 2007 10:14 PM

John Thacker wrote: I don't understand this post.

Clearly. Let me fetch a joy buzzer, a rubber chicken, and Weird Al's willfully B-grade 80s flick, UHF, and we will get to work on your case immediately!

Posted by anony-mouse | October 2, 2007 11:38 PM

How many people have to work in a secured building for a vendor such as DD to find it profitable to run a shop inside the security perimeter? And what does the SEC need that many people for?

The operation probably runs on limited hours and has less overhead than a stand alone store so it doesn't need as much foot traffic to stay in business (the SEC or building management might even be subsidizing the operation). I wouldn't be surprised if it's little more than a few coffee pots and donuts and beagels brought in from another store with a bakery.

A while ago some kid in NYC made it a point to bike to every single Starbucks in Manhatten and blog about it. I remember a local radio station mentioned that there's a group of 'private Starbucks' that are located inside office buildings and only for the occupants use.

Why does the SEC need so many? I suppose its becuase they regulate the US securities market. It probably takes an office building of people to collect, audit and publish the financials for every publically traded company in the US as well as its law enforcement duties.

Posted by Boonton | October 3, 2007 1:40 PM

This is an astounding piece of information. Clearly, the circle of, say, 10 miles around the financial district of Manhattan is studded with lunch/breakfast places on much higher level of sophistication and taste than Dunkin Donuts. I though that DD is catering for people in pick-up trucks and police cruisers rather than to our financial elite.

I visited some high tech corporations and I did not notice any DD. Catering from Marriott Co. and some such. Au Bon Pain? Panera?

Posted by piotr | October 3, 2007 1:44 PM

At my job they have Starbucks coffee in the cafeteria & a 'Biestro' which makes Starbucks drinks but I think are manned by non-Starbucks people who were just trained by them.

Some people have asked why DD coffee isn't offered and the answer has come back that while you can buy DD coffee in the supermarket it is not available for office catering. Perhaps DD's strategy is to get into the office with their own kiosks/stores?

DD left the realm of low end coffee a long time ago. If you want good all American truck driver/policeman coffee go to Quick Check.

Posted by Boonton | October 3, 2007 2:53 PM

Since some people may be confused: that Dunkin' Donuts is located in Washington, DC, not New York City.

Something I just found out recently was that Cambodians are wildly disproportionately associated with donut shops. Evidently some early Cambodian immigrant made it big in the donut business, others thought, "Hey, if he can do it, so can I!", and network effects took over.

--Jeff

Posted by Jeff Boulier | October 3, 2007 3:11 PM

Does anyone have any explanation for the unusual concentration of independent donut shops in the Southern California region? I also note that they, similar to Jeff's case, are all run by Asian immigrants.

Posted by Klug | October 3, 2007 4:42 PM

When did that open? They didn't have one when I worked there a year ago. It makes sense that it's a Dunkin Donuts, though: the government doesn't provide coffee, and the closest source of non-Starbucks coffee is the crowded Union Station food court. And even though these are financial regulators and make more than other federal lawyers, SEC staff lawyer salaries still peak (below?) where New York financial lawyers' salaries start.

Posted by random commenter | October 6, 2007 12:40 AM