Coming from Australia, I knew of Starbucks because of the small existence of stores, but I had no idea what Dunkin’ Donuts was. The Australian version called Donut King is a similar resemblance of this store, but does not live up to the reputation Dunkin’ Donuts has in America. 

Coming to America I gravitated to Starbucks. Why? Because Starbucks is better. Trying out the huge variations of products from Starbucks, I fell in love with its quality and overall taste.  Starbucks continues to be my number one coffee store, despite its high-end prices. Good quality comes with a cost. 

Iced coffee

Winner: Starbucks

Two words: Dunkin’ and Sugar. Trying Dunkin’s iced caramel coffee for the first time, these two words practically morph into one. Adding sweetness to a drink is not a bad thing, but when is too much? The 38 grams of sugar added to this iced beverage creates an imbalance in flavors. 

Starbucks iced coffee leaves you with a more original coffee taste, quenching your thirst without giving you a sugar overload. Although the prices of Dunkin’s products are quite attractive, being $2.18 for a medium-size cup, it does lack the high quality that Starbucks possesses. 

Starbucks Iced coffee is priced to reflect the work and ingredients put into making it. The quality of this drink and balanced use of flavors provide you with an original flavour that tastes fresh.

For those who crave a sweet addition to their iced coffee, Starbucks does have a variation of syrups like, caramel and vanilla you can choose from. I would absolutely order an Iced Coffee from Starbucks again, where I can customize my flavor of drink the way I like it. 

The refresher

Winner: Starbucks

When you think of Dunkin’ Donuts, refreshers don’t usually come to mind. For a place known for its combined serving of coffee and donuts, I didn’t expect to be surprised by their peach and passion fruit refresher. 

Its gradient color of orangish pink drink draws you in, while its fruity watery base quenches your thirst. From the first sip, it’s easy to identify the strong sweetness of this drink; again there is a disparity in flavors.

The sugary flavoring hits your taste buds while other ingredients take a step back. Starbucks Strawberry Acai Refresher always has a perfect combination of fruity flavouring and freshness; I never seem to be disappointed with this refresher. 

The medium size at Dunkin’ and the large size at Starbucks both hold 24 ounces. There is a 50 calorie difference between the two. Dunkin’s refresher is 180 calories, while Starbucks is 130. 

Either drink can be the energy boost you need on hot summer’s day or even a heavy day at school. 

My heart lies with Starbucks refresher, although, Dunkin’s refresher did surprise me. If you’re looking for a sweet drink to treat yourself, Dunkin’s refresher is a great choice, and if you’re looking for a more fruity refresher, choose Starbucks’. 

The breakfast sandwich

Winner: Starbucks

Spotting the difference between the two breakfast sandwiches was nothing less than difficult. The main ingredients were the same; it was challenging to distinguish the superior one. 

Dunkin’s Bacon, Egg, and Cheese breakfast sandwich had a good aesthetic, but the Starbucks’ presentation was much more pleasing, although the overall size and price of the sandwich at Dunkin’ was much bigger and cheaper than the one at Starbucks. 

Because of the larger size of Dunkin’s breakfast sandwich I couldn’t help but taste the egg consistency more, with slight hints of the cheese and bacon in between. Dunkin’ strives for large quantities of coffee/food at low prices, while Starbucks targets high quality reinforcing its premium image rather than doing competition-based pricing like Dunkin’. 

Either sandwich suffices, but if quality and style is important to you, then join me on the Starbucks side. 

Final thoughts

Although my love for Starbucks has remained unchanged, my eyes have been opened to some amazing Dunkin’ Donuts products that I will definitely be revisiting the Lake Forest store for a second taste. If you want an experience on top of quality products Starbucks is for you!