Dunkin Tops Starbucks In Manhattan As Chain Stores Contract In NYC

By Greg David, The City

Dec. 17, 2025, 9:00 a.m.

It’s a changing of the guard among chains in New York City as longtime stalwarts like Starbucks close scores of stores and newcomers like Club Pilates and Naya rapidly expand their presence.

The annual report on chains from the Center for an Urban Future released Wednesday shows that the number of chain stores in the city dropped by 112 locations, or 1.3%, in 2025, the sixth decline in the last eight years.

“If you look at the neighborhood landscape you do not see a retail sector in crisis, but it’s a changing picture, and it is remarkable how the retail landscape has shifted in the past five or six years,” said Jonathan Bowles, executive director of CUF.

The story can be told both through what happened last year and by taking a longer view and comparing the post-pandemic landscape with 2019, according to the CUF report.

Starbucks shuttered 42 locations in the last year in New York, or about 12% of its previous total. Nationally, the company is closing only 1% of its locations this year. Rivals Krispy Kreme and Tim Horton’s are on the list of those with the largest declines.

For the first time ever, Dunkin' Donuts has more sites in Manhattan than Starbucks. Dunkin has always topped the CUF list and now boasts a whopping 623 stores in the city.

Others who are shrinking their footprint are clothing retailers like Claire’s, Old Navy, Banana Republic and Children’s Place.

Eighteen companies ended their presence in New York City in 2025 including Rite Aid, Rent-A-Center, Party City and Forever 21.

But taking their place are new names. Club Pilates just about doubled their locations to 27 in the past year as did fast-casual restaurant Naya, which specializes in Lebanese and Mediterranean food.

Eateries dominate the list of those expanding. Bowles notes that this year 56% of the chains they tracked sell food. Five years ago the number was only 45%.

“Long established retailers are the ones that are pulling back and they are struggling with e-commerce or simply can’t remain fresh,” he added. “But there are lots of new entrants that are opening and growing.”

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 20% of the retail chains tracked by CUF have left New York City entirely with drug stores and wireless outlets contracting the most.

This press release was produced by The City. The views expressed here are the author’s own.