Dunkin’ began serving its coffees, donuts and other treats Friday morning at its location on Highway 80 East and its neighbor Popeyes followed suit Monday, frying up its famous chicken and offering its other New Orleans specialties.

It is the second Popeyes and the third Dunkin’ location now open in Statesboro. Both owned by Tiku Shroff, one of the city’s most successful restauranteurs, Shroff also owns the Popeyes and Dunkin’ on Fair Road and the Dunkin’ inside the Walmart Supercenter.

Shroff purchased the three-acre parcel for the restaurants in August 2023 on 80 East, across the highway from Lowe’s and next to the entrance to Bel-Air Estates. 

Shroff’s new restaurants are located right next to a seven-acre tract where several restaurants and other businesses opened in the past year – Texas Roadhouse, Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Que and Five Guys and Mattress Warehouse. An AutoZone auto parts store is under construction and will open in 2025.

The Highway 80 East corridor is expected to see even more development as the southern Bulloch County population grows as the now open Hyundai EV Metaplant ramps up production and support industries in Bulloch County come online. 

Shroff, 64, has a long history as a restaurant owner in Statesboro. He came to the United States in 1981 and graduated from Georgia Southern. Shroff purchased his first restaurant – the Sub Station II in 1987, which was owned by his uncle. Shortly after, he acquired the Baskin Robbins franchise on Fair Road and operated both businesses until selling the Sub Station II in 1993.

After Dunkin’ Donuts purchased Baskin Robbins in 1994, Shroff was offered the option of creating a combo store, which is still operating as a Dunkin’ and Baskin Robbins combo on Fair Road. Since 1994, in addition to Dunkin’, Shroff has owned Popeye’s, Wild Wing Cafe and Larry’s Giant Subs. Larry’s Giant Jersey Subs is now owned and operated by his son-in-law Ron Flott.  

Also, Shroff is owner or part-owner in several other restaurant franchises around Georgia.