Bob Dylan Slipped An Unexpected Dunkin' Shoutout Into One Of His Books

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It's no secret that some celebs, like Matt Damon and the Affleck brothers, are outspoken Dunkin' fans. The trio has even starred in high-profile Super Bowl ads for the coffee chain. But, it may come as a surprise to some fans to learn that, when he was singing about "One more cup of coffee for the road," Bob Dylan might have been talking about Dunkin'. On the dedication page of Dylan's 2022 book "The Philosophy of Modern Song," he thanks "all the crew at Dunkin' Donuts."

Beyond his world-changing music career, Dylan is also an esteemed writer, winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016 (and famously not showing up at the award ceremony). His most recent book is a collection of more than 60 essays on the topic of popular music written in the unique, distinctive narrative voice that will feel familiar to anyone who read his 2004 "Chronicles: Volume One" (although, it's a far cry from the experimental voice in "Tarantula," arguably his greatest book to date, in the opinion of this journalist). In "The Philosophy of Modern Sing," Dylan zeroes-in on the work and musical styles of artists from Hank Williams to Elvis Costello to Nina Simone, and even includes a deep-dive on Marty Robbins' "El Paso" – it's an exploration of the craft of songwriting by one of the best minds to ever do it ... a feat that, apparently, ran on Dunkin'.

This Dunkin' shoutout tracks with Dylan reportedly being a fan of myriad sweet baked goods, including Jaffa Cakes and figgy pudding — one of his all-time favorite foods. In 2006, during the holiday episode of his weekly "Theme Time Radio Hour," (which ran from 2006 to 2009) the host shared that he's a diehard fan of the 14th-century British Christmas treat. Fast-forward to a 2022 interview with The Wall Street Journal, the then-81-year-old singer-songwriter expounds that he thanked the Dunkin' crew in his book "because they were compassionate, supportive, and they went the extra mile." In classic Dylan fashion, his "explanation" leaves more questions remaining than answers. Is he a regular at one specific Dunkin' location? Does he hit various chain locations while he's travelling on the road? Does he have a go-to Dunkin' order? Maybe he'll tell us in his next book, which is (reportedly) on its way.

In May of 2025, actor Sean Penn told "The Louis Theroux Podcast" that he was "about to" record the audiobook for Dylan's long-awaited "Chronicles: Volume Two," which will follow the first installation of the musician's autobiography by over 20 years. The book is currently listed with a pre-order date of December 31st, 2030. Until then, incidentally, "Desire" — the Dylan album with "One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below)" on it — turns 50 this year. Feel free to give it a spin en route to your next Dunkin' run.