We all know college students are always trying to cut corners or finding ways to save a pretty penny. We also know that when school gets the best of us, coffee is our best friend that gets us through a horrifying week. So why waste money on coffee just because of the brand name? Majority of my middle school years consisted of walking through Downtown La Grange with my girl friends after treating ourselves to a Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino. Back then, I clearly didn’t understand or appreciate the value of a dollar since I spent the extra money just to say I had Starbucks (and I know I’m not the only one). Now, I’m grown; now, I have to pay for my own coffee; and I refuse to pay extra money for the Starbucks logo. Lucky for you, I have decided to share a couple reasons as to why I now run on Dunkin’ and will never go back to the Starbucks life.
1. Size
After doing a bit of research, I have discovered that all this time, Starbucks has been ripping us off. Their drink sizes are significantly smaller than those of Dunkin’ Donuts.
| Starbucks | Dunkin’ Donuts | |
| Tall/Small | 12 oz. | 16 oz. |
| Grande/Medium | 16 oz. | 24 oz. |
| Venti/Large | 24 oz. | 32 oz. |
As you can see, Dunkin’ Donuts is a step ahead of Starbucks... A small size at Dunkin’ is the same portion as a grande (medium) at Starbucks!
2. Price
Price is a huge factor in where people buy their coffee. Hopefully after seeing the differences between Dunkin’ and Starbucks, you’ll start to question whether or not you really want that Tall Soy Caramel Iced Coffee tomorrow morning. Iced coffee is the common drink of choice during the summer. So I will be comparing the prices of iced coffee beverages from each chain.
| Starbucks | Dunkin’ Donuts | |
| Tall/Small | $2.56 | $2.27 |
| Grande/Medium | $3.02 | $2.84 |
| Venti/Large | $3.36 | $3.18 |
| Trenta | $3.93 | -- |
As you can see, Dunkin’s products are cheaper than Starbucks’. 20 cents here and there doesn’t seem like such a big deal, but when you weigh the difference in size as well, Dunkin’ is obviously a better fiscal choice.
3. Happy Hour
Dunkin’ Donuts’ year-long happy hour is what gets me through the day. From 3pm to 6pm every day of the week, you can drop by Dunkin’ Donuts and get any sized iced tea or iced coffee for 99 cents. Now that’s what I call a steal! Starbucks has attempted to do happy hours, but they only last a limited time. When you really think about it, you could get a Large Iced Coffee during happy hour every day of the week for under $7. That’s the equivalent to buying only two Venti Iced Coffees from Starbucks. (Just so you know, any Dunkin’ Donuts on or near a college campus has happy hour all day, everyday. You’re welcome.)
4. Perks
Both Starbucks and Dunkin’ have their own apps. On these apps, you can purchase a virtual gift card, load it with money straight from your bank account, earn points, and even earn free drinks or snacks. I don’t know about you, but I LOVE free stuff. There’s something about getting something for free that just makes me feel so powerful and important; which would be why I am an avid user of the Dunkin’ App. You get a new reward almost daily and you get more rewards the more you use the app. You even get a free drink just for joining the rewards program!
Dunkin’ Donuts goes above and beyond when it comes to perks. In fact, they have been promoting Chicago sports teams and their wins. For example, any time the Chicago Blackhawks won a game, you could go into Dunkin’ the next day for a free medium iced coffee. Now that hockey season is over, the attention has been turned towards the Chicago Cubs. Any time the Cubs win a game, be sure to run into DD for a free small iced coffee!
As you can tell, Dunkin’ Donuts clearly is a better bang for your buck (pun intended). Hopefully after seeing the comparison between Dunkin’ and Starbucks, you’ll think twice before you spend more money for less coffee.
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