Dunkin' Donuts announced the signing of multi-unit store development agreements with five franchise groups for a total commitment of 63 new restaurants in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, Palm Springs and Bakersfield over the next several years.

The five franchise groups and their development plans include:

New franchise group California Donut Kings, LLC, led by existing franchisees Vipul Patel, Vishal Shah, Jamie Dejuras, Chetan Jani, and Haresh Patel, plan to develop 26 restaurants in San Francisco and the surrounding cities. This combined group currently operates more than 100 Dunkin' Donuts restaurants, and their first restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area is planned to open in 2016.

New franchise group Chandi Group USA CVDD Inc. plans to develop eight restaurants throughout Palm Springs and Imperial County. Led by Nachhattar Chandi, the group's first restaurant is planned to open in 2015.

Top Brand Donuts, LLC, plans to develop eight restaurants in Monterey and the surrounding communities. Led by existing franchisees Ray Alaigh, Surinder Singh and new franchisee Gurneer Dadwal, the group's first restaurant is planned to open in 2016.

Existing franchise group CT Coffee, LLC, led by Theodore Zafiris, plans to develop 13 restaurants in the San Jose area. The group's first California restaurant is planned to open in 2016.

Existing franchise group Frontier Restaurant Group, plans to develop eight restaurants in and around Bakersfield. Led by Dan Almquist and Robert Jonas, the group's first restaurant from this agreement is planned to open in 2015.

"We're thrilled to have agreements signed for the development of more than 250 Dunkin' Donuts restaurants in California, and our continued growth throughout the state would not be possible without our passionate franchisees and loyal guests," said Grant Benson, CFE, vice president of global franchising and business development, Dunkin' Brands. "With this announcement, we are excited to welcome these new and existing franchisees to the Golden State and know each will cultivate lasting customer relationships and become an integral part of the California communities they serve."

In September, Dunkin' Donuts celebrated the opening of its first full expression California restaurants in the cities of Santa Monica, Modesto and Downey. Additional California Dunkin' Donuts locations are planned to open in Long Beach and Whittier before the end of 2014. The opening of these restaurants is part of a larger plan to open approximately 250 new restaurants in California over the next several years. The company plans to open more than 1,000 restaurants in total throughout the state over the long-term. Franchise opportunities still remain available in portions of California.