Patrick Boots, Campus Correspondent (he/him/his):
There are a couple of reasons to join in on this debate, but the truth is they’re in different leagues.
Dunkin’ offers a wide selection of sandwiches, snacks and bakery items, in addition to their doughnuts. There’s a lot of hot and iced choices, brews of different styles, specialty drinks and the crown jewel of cocoa — the Dunkaccino (which was sadly discontinued in 2023).
Starbucks locations are not licensed the same way, so their food is prepackaged. The selections are non-customizable but can be tasty. I liked the black and white cookies, but they discontinued them — please bring them back, Starbucks Siren!
When it comes to drinks, Starbucks subscribes to their own size naming scheme — with “Short,” “Tall,” “Grande” and so on. What happened to “Small,” “Medium” and “Large”? It’s not too bad, but a learning curve for me.
At least I can share an anecdote: When I visited Seattle, I could see Starbucks branch locations in every cardinal direction as far as the eye can see (each had a line out the door — we decided to patronize a local java shop that day). But, I guess you could say the same for Dunkin’ if Boston was on the horizon.
Maybe it’s because of the proximity that Connecticut has a lot more Dunkin’ locations.
All the same, I enjoy a Summer Berry Refresher and a lemon pound cake from Starbucks, but Dunkin’ is a New England institution and is the clear winner for any cafe needs. It’s time to make the doughnuts!
Thatcher Slocum, Campus Correspondent (he/him/his):
Such an important question deserves serious consideration. Each establishment has different things going for it — Dunkin’ is cheaper, opens earlier (great for my early-morning hikes) and, unsurprisingly, has a wider selection of donuts. Starbucks has a larger variety of better-tasting drinks and sandwiches that aren’t floppy, unlike Dunkin’s.
Dunkin’ has sentimental appeal, being so ubiquitous in New England and almost redeeming the hour-long boredom of church with post-church doughnuts when I was younger. Images of angry doughnut monsters that were out to eat the kids who don’t clean their mouths after devouring a delectable post-church donut were implanted straight from the imagination of my dad into the reality of my gullible five-year-old mind. Over the years, that terror transformed into deep nostalgia for Dunkin’s doughnuts. It’s still tragic to me that they did away with their alliterative Dunkin’ Donuts brand — a rather terrible blow to Dunkin’s prospects in this battle.
Yet, as sentimental as I am about New England pride and fond childhood memories, I like the taste and texture of Starbucks more. So, Starbucks it is.
Henry St. Pierre, Campus Correspondent (he/him/his):
As a full-blooded New Englander, it would be blasphemous to suggest anything but Dunkin’ as the go-to for breakfast and coffee. While Starbucks may have the fancier drinks (which is, of course, entirely dependent on one’s definition of “fancy”), Dunkin’ will remain on top for its simplicity.
Aside from the restaurant itself, the location on campus is another thing that I favor. As someone who spends most of their waking hours in and around the Student Union, having a Dunkin’ always within arm’s reach is fantastic. Being able to satisfy my growing caffeine addiction or simply impulsively spend a few dollars on a sweet treat late at night is a gift like no other.
To any non-New Englanders who will read this with mild concern at the borderline obsession with Dunkin’ evident here, I simply offer five words: you don’t get it, man.
Desirae Sin, Staff Writer (she/her/hers):
The backbone of both restaurants is their coffee, or array of iced and hot beverages. As someone who is extremely lactose intolerant and can’t handle caffeine, my judgement stems from their food. The breakfast items from Starbucks might be a bit fancier than Dunkin, but my wallet thanks me for my frugal nature.
For those who are willing to choose quantity of quality, Dunkin’ is your best bet. Running from class-to-class leaves students starving and needing to eat something quickly. With how simple the dishes from Dunkin’ are, it’s easy to stop by the union and order a few wake-up wraps or donuts. Personally, I either get the bacon or sausage wake-up wraps with a chocolate covered donut as a treat.
But what really sets Dunkin’ apart from Starbucks for me is their munchkins. To this day, a box of munchkins is the only thing that can pull me out of my slumps. After attending classes and dealing with Hartford traffic, Dunkin’s munchkins are the highlight of my day. Yes, my day is very sad.
Dan Stark, Campus Correspondent (he/him/his):
Maybe this is me channeling my time as an opinion columnist and being a hater, but I’ve never understood the hype around either of these places. While the coffee and beverage options at both locations are plentiful, they are mediocre at best half the time and simply not worth the ever-increasing prices. I also find the hot breakfast options at both places simply not worth the cost for a small breakfast sandwich that will leave any college student looking for fuel in the morning still searching.
The one positive I will offer is that the donuts at Dunkin’ are still immaculate, which makes sense since they were known as Dunkin’ Donuts for a long time. And that doesn’t even include the fan-favorite Munchkins, arguably the best thing that has come out of either franchise.
If you want a better coffee option, buy a Keurig and make it yourself. You’ll save a ton of money by not having to buy coffee every day and you won’t have to wait in the ridiculous lines that form in the mornings. With that said, I would still recommend going to get a donut or some munchkins as a sweet treat.
James Fitzpatrick, Associate Life Editor (he/him/his):
The quality disparity between these two brands is undeniable. Say what you will — and I know multiple people who will stand by Dunkin’ — but I am part of “Team Starbies.” The interior flair and overall image of Dunkin’ is instantly recognizable, though it has remained largely the same over the years. The same can be said for Starbucks, as evidenced by a 20-year-old photo of myself as a baby taken at a table with my father and grandfather, which proves something else.
Dunkin’s operation is all about speed: getting customers their coffee and treats so they can get on with their day essentially summarizes their slogan. Locations weasel their way into anywhere franchisees see fit, and there’s rarely the 20-minute wait often seen at a Starbucks drive-thru. Contrary to Dunkin’, Starbucks wants their customers to stay within their property as long as possible, even offering free Wi-Fi like the equally upscale Panera Bread.
That segues into my final point: price. Hot coffee boils down to be similar across both brands, but Starbucks takes the edge on iced and premium drinks. Considering their price gap is thinning, why not go for a refresher with real berries or a cold brew without a whole cup of ice? I’m also salty towards Dunkin’ for recently substituting my $2 donut with a measly three Munchkins; I may as well have bought a Starbucks cake pop. Therefore, Dunkin’ gets the job done, but Starbucks takes the cake… pop!