Coffee Competitors: Which Coffee Do You Prefer?
2009 August 6
I ran across this article this morning comparing the coffee from Starbucks, McDonald’s, and Dunkin Donuts. The results showed that Dunkin Donuts has the most preferred coffee, and McDonald’s has the most preferred cappuccino. I have personally always preferred coffee from independent coffee houses rather than chains. The coffee always tastes better to me. Unfortunately, not many of those exist near me. I tend to rely on Starbucks, but maybe it is time to give the others a try.
Where do you think is the best place to buy coffee and why?
I like coffee from independent chains but if I can’t find one, I think the next best thing is Starbucks. I refuse to believe that McDonald’s has good anything!
Among these three places I prefer Starbucks for the brewed coffee, just because I prefer its stronger flavor.
Dunkin donuts gril all the way.. I have it daily, large cream only. I am addicted..
I also prefer coffee from mom & pop coffee shops. It may just be the atmosphere for me and not actually the coffee. Starbucks scorches their coffee and that destroys the some of the flavors but I do like it. McDonald’s seems to be hit and miss. Maybe it’s just an employee training issue. I can’t claim to know much about Dunkin Donuts’ coffee. I tried it a few times just to try it say I did but it didn’t seem that special.
Maybe it’s all psychological to me. These 3 all seem institutionalized. Coffee just seems better when I go into Miss Hazel’s coffee shop, sit on a couch with my mug, pick up a newspaper and have a cat jump up next to me. Somehow, that coffee tastes better.
…or maybe I’m just trying to be a nonconformist.
We have a new coffee house here that is an independent owner and it is the best coffee ever. I prefer Starbucks over Dunkin Donuts and never will drink McDonalds (I think it is the most bitter of them all!)
I dont usually buy coffee out. I love my Chock Full O Nuts coffee. I out cinnamon in the grinds before I brew it and it is divine.
I dislike Starbucks w/ every fiber in my body.
Dunkin Donuts! Why? good coffee that is only a bit overpriced
We don’t have Dunkin on the West Coast- but we still have commercials for it! So i gave it a try when I went to Boston, and i thought it was sooo gross….I’m definitely a fancier coffee/latte person, so Starbucks is my #1! Ha that picture is cute
i have to go with this one 7/11 on the way to our house…it’s on ridgewood & dunlawton in daytona beach.. they have great coffee..but other than that? it’s ours all the way…a nice combo of 8 o’clock hazelnut beans & columbian..we’ve got a coffee grinder, so it’s always so nice & fresh..lol..i used to drink tea, but have totally converted to coffee…done right,it’s nectar of the gods, & i’m a willing addict!!
I do not drink coffee and if I do its only a starbucks frappuchino.
Hola Megan. I love, love, love coffee. For a longtime I was a Starbucks junkie. And while I admit that Dunkin Donuts coffee is pretty good ever since they closed the store down that was close to me, I haven’t missed it all that much. I did try the McD’s Mocha Latte and it’s pretty good actually. I’ve just gotten used to making my own at home. I’ll be posting a recipe for Mexican Chocolate Frappuccino on my chocolate blog tomorrow if you would like to stop by. It compares pretty well to the Starbucks one. Great topic.
I LOVE Starbucks! I get the Pike Place Roast with a small cup of heavy cream and put my own stevia in it. SOOOOO GOOD!
I’m a 7/11 girl. Why? It’s cheap and just good regular old coffee. Starbucks regular coffee is kind of bitter and DD is just as expensive (if not more so) than the bucks… but if I want a special drink it’s Starbucks all the way!
I like different places for different things. Starbucks is my go-to for specialty drinks like lattes. I like to support local places, but I have yet to find one I enjoy as much as from there. When it comes to regular drip coffee I never get that at Starbucks. I would have to say that DD is the best there but only bc of the cream and sugar.
Otherwise I really like local places for plain drip coffee, or places like Panera. Can you tell I tend to thrive on variety and plenty of options? 
I’ve only tried coffee from Starbucks and DD, and each serves its own purpose for me. I like Starbucks for the “fancy” drinks, which is all I ever get there. For straight up coffee I prefer DD since it doesn’t smell like burning garbage or whatever.
But ideally I would love to go to a local place.
I have yet to try the new McD’s coffee, but my vote goes to Dunkin on this. Just not a big Starbucks fan for regular coffee.
You know what coffee I always love? Diner coffee. I don’t know whether it’s the atmosphere, or the fact it’s either on a weekend or 4am… but it tastes so good.
I go to Dunkin Donuts the most, but mainly because everyone who works there in my town is a hot teen girl.
As I sit here drinking Dunkin Donuts coffee…
I really do like both – it’s hard to choose! I’d have to say that on a daily basis when I am making “Coffee Cocoa” at home, I love Dunkin Donuts flavor. But when I’m in the mood for something fun, Starbucks is fantastic and I always know what I’m getting.
Being from Rhode Island where there is a D&D every 2 mins. I say D&D for coffee, but I think Starbucks has the better fun drinks like lattes and cappuccino. Never had any coffee from McDs though.
Truthfully I think it depends 100% on who is brewing it… we go to the same place and it always tastes better when certain people make it… and like crap when others make it… it’s so weird!!! I do have to say I like both dunkin and the bucks though… even though I hate to admit it LOL
I love Starbuck’s, just because I think the coffee is so much fresher than McDonald’s or Dunkin Donuts.
Happy Friday Megan!
I still like Starbucks or I’d rather make my Nescafe with Coffeemate than to buy coffee from McDonalds.
i love dunkin!!! but they need to expand and have more stores!! particularly on the west coast!!!
Hmmm. I prefer to grind and brew at home
Definitely Starbucks! I wrote a huge post about it like 2 weeks ago on my blog. I worked at the company for 2.5 years, and really was impressed with their focus on social responsibility. The reason their coffee is so expensive is because they pay the coffee farmers more for the product, so that the farmers can actually make a living, whereas other companies really take advantage of them. They also build schools and health centers in the coffee farmers’ communities, and teach coffee farmers sustainable growing techniques. Most coffees from Starbucks aren’t labeled “organic” because it would cost the farmers thousands of dollars to secure such a label, money that they don’t have to spare, but Starbucks requires such rigorous standards the coffee really is organic. Additionally, Starbucks provides its employees with really good health insurance because the CEO, Howard Schultz, knew personally what it was like growing up without it. I paid about $30 a month for medical, dental, and vision and had a huge range of providers and only a $5 copay. When I started working at a hospital, it was going to be 2-3x the amount of money — and just for medical! And my copay was going to go up as well. I was shocked. So yes, in my opinion, Starbucks is worth the money
I like to support local coffee shops just because I think they deserve the business more.
Sheetz has the best! Iced, Frozen, Hot, Cappaccino, Latte – you name it. I haven’t met a Sheetz coffee I didn’t like yet! Mickey D’s – McYucko! There is one Starbucks near me and the very young staff that works there have no clue how to make good coffee. Everyone just goes there for the free Wii-Fi or whatever you call that internet stuff!
I grew up in New England, so, naturally, I prefer Dunkin’ Donuts coffee over Starbucks. The closest Starbucks to my childhood home didn’t even open until well after I had graduated from high school! Dunkin’ Donuts coffee will always bring back fond memories.
I’m a Starbucks fanatic but that’s mostly because I’m drinking lattes the majority of the time and I’m having their coffee a little bit less but honestly, it’s pretty good! I’m not a fan of Dunkin Donuts because I dont like the fact that your mix-ins (cream, milk, sugar, Splenda) are added based on what the person taking the order THINKS you mean by “just a little splash of skim milk please” or “just one splenda!” It’s aggravating once you get this black coffee loaded with fake tasting sweetness. Ew. And I totally agree on the “non-chain” coffee shops.. we have a place called Common Ground which is perfect; freshest tasting coffee you can find!
Errr, why would anyone go to McDonald’s for gourmet coffee? There are so many better options.