It's a side note in an article about the venerable firm's business: But they're trying Wi-Fi in a few shops in Chicago. Starbucks, they're not, but they offer cheap coffee (which is generally pretty good in my experience across the country) and piping hot fresh donuts without the thousand pounds of extra sugar (just a few hundred) layered on Krispy Kremes. They even taste good cold.
Unnnnhhnnnn...donuts.
Dunkin' Donuts would be an interesting addition to the Wi-Fi landscape because their locations tend to be in my travels in parts of towns in which there is less of an accumulation of the kinds of businesses that already provide wireless access.
The Dunkin' Donuts at the front of the PA. Convention Center on Market St. in downtown Philadelphia has a weak signal from the free Convention Center itself. It's not strong so it's slow. Gave up after a while. It would be nice if they had their own.
Several DD's in the suburban Dallas area have free hotspots, all with big orange signs in the door informing customers...and all are within easy eyeshot of a Starbucks location, so it's obvious they are making a play for the *$$ customers or those who don't want to spend $6 for their coffee and $10 for their hour of Net access.
Later,
Mike