Dunkin' Donuts is headed to Mall of America

Will the third time prove to be the charm, doughnut-wise?

The Mall of America, that magnet for fast-food chains, has landed a Dunkin' outlet.

(Dunkin' is the doughnuts-and-coffee behemoth that inexplicably dropped the "Donut" from its name).

The opening is scheduled for sometime in 2020.

The impending arrival is the third attempt by a national doughnut chain to snare megamall appetites.

Krispy Kreme arrived at the Mall of America with much fanfare in 2002, and disappeared a few years later. Canadian import Tim Hortons debuted in November 2016 – about a month before the first Dunkin' materialized in the Twin Cities -- and the deep fryers stopped frying in May.

Dunkin' now operates seven metro area locations. including an outpost at Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport. When the franchise arrived in Twin Cities nearly three years ago, the plan was to have 40 Minnesota outlets up and running by 2022; so far, there are Dunkin' locations in Duluth and Mankato, and two in Rochester. The company operates more than 13,300 locations worldwide, and does business in 41 states and 36 countries.

In a bit of irony, the Mall of America's Dunkin' is taking over the former Tim Hortons spot. It's on the second floor near the Rotunda, on the mall's east side. (Pictured, above, in a Star Tribune file photo: Tim Hortons at the Mall of America, during happier times, when the doughnut chain was drawing crowds during its 2016 opening).

"Mall of America hosts over 400 events a year, many of them directly in the Rotunda, which makes this the perfect space for Dunkin' to thrive on our property," said Carrie Charleston, the mall's vice president of leasing, in a statement. "We're thrilled to add them to our mix of offerings so our guests can enjoy Dunkin' indulgence any time during those all-day experiences at the Mall."