At a Glance
- Ben Affleck and Matt Damon filmed an un-aired Dunkin’ Donuts commercial in Medford, Massachusetts
- Affleck told real drive-through customers the store was out of coffee
- Dunkin’ executives killed the spot because it implied they might run out of coffee
- The duo are promoting their Netflix crime thriller The Rip
Why it matters: The anecdote shows how far Affleck will go for comedy-and how quickly brands protect their image.
Ben Affleck’s love for Dunkin’ Donuts took a mischievous turn when he filmed a drive-through prank that the chain refused to air. Speaking with Capital Official radio, the 53-year-old actor recalled telling unsuspecting customers that the location had no coffee left.
The Prank That Never Made It to TV
Matt Damon, joining Affleck to promote The Rip, set up the story: “There was actually an amazing one that he did that they couldn’t air because he did a bit where he was telling everybody coming through the drive-through that they didn’t have coffee.”
Affleck picked up the memory: “We were in Medford, Massachusetts and telling people, ‘We don’t have coffee.'” Damon added that the early-morning tradespeople in line were not amused. “These guys are on their way to go paint a house or… These guys are, like, working, and they were not having it.”
The footage captured real reactions. Affleck mimicked one angry customer: “I didn’t wait an hour for water,” he said, exaggerating the worker’s outrage. Dunkin’ marketing brass quickly pulled the plug. “Dunkin’ obviously goes, ‘You can’t advertise that we don’t have coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts,'” Damon noted. Affleck still defends the gag: “I thought it was genius.”
From Banned Bit to Super Bowl Spectacle
The axed prank stands in contrast to Affleck’s later, fully sanctioned Dunkin’ campaigns. In 2024 he fronted the fictional boyband DunKings alongside Damon and Tom Brady. The seven-minute Super Bowl spot revived the coffee-obsessed group after its debut the previous year with Jennifer Lopez.
That same year Dunkin’ put the DunKings Iced Coffee on menus nationwide. The drink layered classic iced coffee with vanilla, cream, Sweet Cold Foam, and a dusting of cinnamon sugar.
Four Decades of Friendship
The radio chat doubled as a window into the pair’s 40-year bond. In a Netflix promo video the two interviewed each other about their new film. Damon traced their link to a shared childhood obsession with movies in a city “where that wasn’t a thing.”
“That wasn’t even an option,” Affleck agreed. Damon joked, “I guess we were f—— weird kids.” Affleck added, “Presumptuous and nerdy and kind of out of it… finding the job you like to do and then you do that with your friends, it’s really a nice thing.”
The Rip is now streaming on Netflix.
