Now, I’m going to preface this by saying that the following blog is based solely on my opinions from my experiences at these two places. It’s not meant to bash either of these chains. I go to both of these places on a regular basis. I’m merely just comparing them to each other. Feel free to share your opinions/experiences with both in the comments below.
Pricing
When it comes to pricing with these two-I would say that Dunkin is typically cheaper. A small iced coffee is around $2.50 at Dunkin whereas at Starbucks it is around $2.80. Which is not a big difference, but when you get into speciality drinks and food, Starbucks typically comes out higher.
Quality
When it comes to the quality of what is being put out there, I would have to say that Starbucks wins. Some Starbucks drinks contain fruit or chocolate crumbles and they offer more customization than Dunkin. For example, you can request 3 pumps of mocha instead of the typical 4. Or you can get skim milk or almond milk. I also noticed that Starbucks employees seem more formally trained than Dunkin Donuts employees. When it comes to quality, I would have to say that Starbucks wins.
Food
It depends on what you are looking for here. I believe that Starbucks offers more healthy options-especially in the refrigerated sections that you see when waiting in line. But Dunkin has all your classic breakfast food such as bagels, wraps, donuts and breakfast sandwiches. When it comes to food, I’m going to have to choose Dunkin.
Consistency
This is a big one for me. It seems that baristas at Starbucks have a specific recipe that they follow. I see them measuring the milk, coffee etc while making the drink. 95% of the time, the drink tastes the same from there. It is also nice that they let you put in the cream/milk & sugar yourself (If you go inside of course). This helps you determine yourself how much you want of each.
When you go to Dunkin, I believe that there is a 50% chance that your coffee will taste the same as last time. Sometimes it depends on who is making the drink. Sometimes they will put too much (or not enough) syrup, cream, or sugar in the drink. For whatever reason, they can never quite make the same exact drink twice. I’m not sure if it’s that they don’t have recipes or measurements for these drinks or what. But when it comes to consistency, I’m going to have to go with Starbucks.
Customer Service
Honestly, it depends on the location and who is working. I can’t say that I have had any horrible customer service experiences at either one. What I can say is that Starbucks typically tells you your total before you get to the drive thru window while Dunkin doesn’t. I know that when you go inside, that Starbucks typically takes your name down as well to call when your drink is finished.
Still, both places typically have friendly staff that will recognize you if you go there regularly. I used to sit in a Dunkin a few times a week on my lunch break from work. I’d order a drink and sit/eat. The manager there would typically come up to me and make small talk. He was always friendly and welcoming.
One time at Starbucks, I had ordered ahead of time on the mobile app. I went into the location about 10 minutes after I had ordered on the app and I saw my drink there but not the food I had ordered. So I gave them another 10 minutes thinking maybe it was just busy and that they were running behind on making food. After 10 minutes I told them that I had ordered food on the app and never got it. They asked me what it was and made it for me. They said they had had a glitch in their technical system so mobile orders were getting messed up. They made the food and gave it to me. And when they gave it to me they also handed me a gift card that was worth about the price of the food I had ordered and they apologized for the inconvenience.
As you can see, both places are trained well in customer service. When it comes to deciding which one is better, I really can’t. What do you guys think? Let me know in the comments below.
Speed
Drive-Thru
So if we are talking about the speed of the drive-thru at these locations, I would have to choose Dunkin. The line at Dunkin is typically not long when I go there during morning rush hour. I typically get through the line in less than 5 minutes. Starbucks usually has a longer line in the morning and doesn’t go as quickly.
Inside
I believe that they both have the option of ordering on an app and picking up the food/drink inside. Since it is already paid for on the app, you can walk in, grab the order and leave. The difference between the two is that I don’t feel that I need to order via the mobile app at Dunkin. This is because the drive thru moves fast enough that I don’t need to order ahead. When I go to Starbucks in the mornings, I feel it’s necessary to order on the mobile app. So when it comes to speed, I’d say that Dunkin wins.
So when it comes to an overall conclusion, again, it depends what you are looking for. Are you looking for cheaper options? Are you looking for breakfast food? Are you looking for healthier options? Are you looking for fancier drinks? Or are you just looking for a classic cup of coffee? These are all things to consider when deciding on what your morning go to place should be. But who knows, maybe you’ll just decide to make coffee/tea at home instead.
As always, thank you all for reading. What is your preference? Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts? I would like to know your thoughts on this in the comments below.
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