# Coffee Wars: Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** coffee
**Created:** [April 3, 2013, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736 "2013-04-03T15:46:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/1 "2013-04-03T15:46:09Z")
Which do you prefer?
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/2 "2013-04-03T15:48:07Z")
Not even a contest - DD wins every time. Standard Starbucks roast is too burnt for us.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/3 "2013-04-03T15:54:11Z")
I voted equally good. There is a corner here with a Starbucks on one side and the DD on the other. I am just as likely to visit one or the other. It usually depends on which direction I’m coming from.
**silenus** - When was the last time you had Starbucks? The house blend hasn’t tasted burnt for a couple years ([and apparently I’m not the only one who thinks this](http://consumerist.com/2008/04/09/starbucks-coffee-no-longer-over-roasted-and-doesnt-taste-burnt/)), since the introduction of the Pike Place Roast. Before that, I would have emphatically agreed with you. Plus they have an even lighter roast, the Blonde, which is even more donut shop coffee like.
Then again, maybe you’re more sensitive to bitter notes than I am.
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### Author:  [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/4 "2013-04-03T15:56:04Z")
Never had Dunkin Donuts coffee (and haven’t even had one of their donuts in at least 30 years) I can’t speak to the quality of it. I would have guessed it’s not good, but based on the fact the question is being asked, perhaps it is. I have this image of a coffee maker that’s been brewing since 1965.
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### Author:  [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/5 "2013-04-03T15:57:05Z")
Dunkin’ Donuts is 100% Arabica beans, it has an incredibly rich, deep flavor and its not at all burnt-tasting. I have tried Starbucks on several occasions, it has always been harsh, bitter and generally crappy.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/6 "2013-04-03T15:59:09Z")
I’ll add that I’ll take McDonald’s coffee over both of these.
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### Author:  [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/7 "2013-04-03T16:02:10Z")
Dunk’s is better, and you usually don’t have to wait in line for some blankety-blank wanting half-caf half-soy blah blah blah at 140 degrees.
Half the reason I don’t drink coffee from shops anymore…grumble grumble and get off mah lawn.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/8 "2013-04-03T16:11:28Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#):
>
> Dunkin’ Donuts is 100% Arabica beans, it has an incredibly rich, deep flavor and its not at all burnt-tasting. I have tried Starbucks on several occasions, it has always been harsh, bitter and generally crappy.
Is Starbucks not 100% Arabica? I’ve seen some people claim that they use Robusta, but I can’t find any definitive source, and I can find sources that say it’s 100% Arabica.
[Like this](http://www.gourmetcoffeelovers.com/coffee-prices-2011/).
> [@](#):
>
> Robusta coffee beans are used to make instant coffee and also included in many coffee blends including espresso blends. Starbucks and Peet’s serve only 100% Arabica, and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters only sells only 100% Arabica coffee.
[Or this.](http://topics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/23/robusta-economy/)
> [@](#):
>
> As Jerry helped teach me for my book, good coffee — everything Peet’s and also Starbucks sells — is Arabica.
Or, also, [the Starbucks website](http://www.starbucks.com.sg/growing-story.html):
> [@](#):
>
> There are two commercially important coffee species: coffea arabica and coffea canephora (robusta). Arabica coffee grows best at high altitudes, has a much more refined flavour than other species, and contains about 1% caffeine by weight. As the name indicates, robusta coffee is a robust species, resistant to disease, with a high yield per plant. It flourishes at lower elevations and produces coffee with harsher flavour characteristics. Starbucks buys only the highest quality arabica coffees available.
The interesting thing is that is the Singapore website for Starbucks. I can’t find that on the US site. There is a 2004 report that says they use only Arabica beans.
[The American page says this:](http://www.starbucks.com/coffee/learn/flavors-in-your-cup)
> [@](#):
>
> It takes a special bean to become a Starbucks® coffee. We sample over 150,000 cups a year looking for the very best arabica coffees. In the end, only about 3% of the world’s beans makes it into a bag of our coffee.
I’m not sure if that means 100% Arabica, or whether it’s a bit of lying by omission. Regardless, I like their coffee fine.
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### Author:  [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/9 "2013-04-03T16:14:28Z")
> [@pulykamell](#):
>
> Is Starbucks not 100% Arabica? I’ve seen some people claim that they use Robusta, but I can’t find any definitive source, and I can find sources that say it’s 100% Arabica.
I have no idea what kind of beans Starbucks uses, I only know that Dunkin’s is 100% arabica. If Starbucks IS using 100% arabica beans … they are not using them well, say my taste buds.
Drinking a cup of Dunkin’ coffee right now … mmmm.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/10 "2013-04-03T16:15:55Z")
> [@pulykamell](#):
>
> I’ll add that I’ll take McDonald’s coffee over both of these.
The wife totally agrees with you.
Personally, about the only coffee I drink these days is Farmer Bros., which is the coffee used by our favorite breakfast place.
I am aware of the new light roast at Starbucks, but once burnt (as it were)… 😃
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### Author:  [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/11 "2013-04-03T16:23:55Z")
I drink my coffee black, no sugar. I am not a big purchaser of coffee while out of the house (I think I may have bought three cups ove the past two years, not including the occasional cup after a meal at a restaurant), so my opinion may not be worth much.
My impression of Starbucks is tha tthe place is not targeting coffeee drinkers, but that they are aiming for people who want to buy coffee-based flavoured drinks. Dunkin tastes more like coffee should taste. I have no idea how it is if used as a base for syrups and whipped cream.
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### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/12 "2013-04-03T16:44:01Z")
I can’t really tell what is or is not _good_ coffee, but I know _bad_ coffee and neither of those are.
Caribou coffee, that’s crap.
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### Author:  [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/13 "2013-04-03T16:50:57Z")
Starbucks is better by virtue of being within walking distance of my workplace. 😉
However, there is a local cafe also within walking distance that serves Small World Coffee, which I like better than either. But they are not open on Mondays, so on Mondays I do Starbucks.
So I didn’t vote in the poll, but I do approve of the way the OP drew a sharp dividing line between “things that are good” and “things that are crap”. None of this wishy-washy “just OK” nonsense.
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### Author:  [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/14 "2013-04-03T16:53:18Z")
I used to drink Starbucks all the time, because it was on the way to work. Since I moved, DD is on the way to work, so now I drink it. This has the added benefits of bigger cups (DD 24oz “Great One” vs Starbucks 20oz “Venti”) and lower prices.
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### Author:  [@Ms.Pumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Pumpkin)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/15 "2013-04-03T16:58:03Z")
Equally good. Which is moot because I go to Tim Horton’s.
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### Author:  [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/16 "2013-04-03T17:51:30Z")
[QUOTE=Paintcharge]
Dunk’s is better, and you usually don’t have to wait in line for some blankety-blank wanting half-caf half-soy blah blah blah at 140 degrees.
[/QUOTE]
No, you just get stuck behind someone wanting three plain munchkins, five powdered, four jelly, seven chocolate… is that 25 yet? No? OK, uh, make that four plain…
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### Author:  [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/17 "2013-04-03T19:29:36Z")
> [@DCnDC](#):
>
> I can’t really tell what is or is not _good_ coffee, but I know _bad_ coffee and neither of those are.
>
> Caribou coffee, that’s crap.
The only thing I ever get at Caribou is a latte, and I would say it’s indistinguishable from Starbucks. I’ve never had their brewed coffee in store, but I’ve bought their beans and wouldn’t say they’re worse than most other “off the shelf” beans.
In my experience, pretty much all the major coffee-selling chains are…fine. None are what I’d consider great, but they’re all a far cry from what I consider bad.
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### Author:  [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/18 "2013-04-03T19:41:10Z")
I am literally mystified by DD coffee lovers. IMHO it’s is virtually the nastiest coffee available anywhere. It’s true that SB sometimes overroasts, but every cup of coffee I’ve ever had at DD has been weak, sour, and has traces of nasty mixed up flavors because they don’t seem to separate their machines into flavored and non-flavored.
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### Author:  [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/19 "2013-04-03T19:41:30Z")
Where’s Krispy Kreme in this poll? 😕
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### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coffee-wars-dunkin-donuts-or-starbucks/654736/20 "2013-04-03T19:47:59Z")
I drink “coffee flavored drinks” and I think starbucks is vile. I love DD. Their coffee is delicious and they make it for me instead of handing me the mug and expecting me to add my own cream and sugar.
BUT I am quite positive it’s regional. I live in upstate NY, in Albany. The DD’s here are all unfailingly good. But when I go to NYC every DD sucks ass…and the employees do too.
ETA: Krispy Kreme came here and made a big splash for a year or two and then failed. Their coffee bites the big one. The hot donuts were a novelty and then people stopped going.
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