MILTON, Del. — A national coffee and donut chain is one step closer to opening a new location on Broadkill Road, but not everyone in Milton is thrilled about the idea.
Back in October, the Milton Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to approve the final site plans for a Dunkin’ drive-thru to be built at 403 Broadkill Road. The proposal is now headed to the Milton Town Council for review, with a meeting scheduled for Monday Nov 3rd at 6:30 p.m.
If approved, the new Dunkin’ will sit just down the road from the McDonald’s that opened in 2024 and next to a proposed Dairy Queen, continuing a wave of national chains expanding into this small town in eastern Sussex County.
The development has sparked a debate among people who live there—some welcoming the growth, others concerned about the changing character of their hometown.
"I think it'll ruin the small town feel, but it's progress. People want progress,” said Dot Murry, a Milton homeowner. “They're going to put a Royal Farms also. Do I like it? Not really."
Others say more dining options are necessary as Milton's population increases.
"Well, we're growing, we're really getting bigger, so I'm not surprised,” said Linda Beckman, who spoke to CoastTV News. “I'm not opposed to it. I can understand why some people might be, but we are growing, so I think we have to expect businesses to grow at the same time."
While no official timeline has been announced for construction or opening, the project continues to move forward through local approval processes.