Do you, like me, get a drink, or snack in the morning before school? This is prevalent for most teenagers and adults. Here’s the question though, where is the best place to go? Since we live in New England, Dunkin and Starbucks are the top two choices of competitors. But which one is better? I prefer Starbucks, even though my bank account would highly disagree with me.

Let me break down the prices for you. An essential medium iced coffee at Dunkin costs around $3.39, whereas at Starbucks, it is a little pricier at $3.95. Many argue that the difference is not significant, which it isn’t. Even though I am not usually a coffee drinker, Starbucks offers a wider variety of mixtures and flavors for their iced coffee for less than a dollar more. On the note of prices, if you prefer a lighter, fruity drink, both Starbucks and Dunkin’ offer refreshers. Some might say you could get one from Dunkin’ and save money. But personally, the Starbucks ones are of much better quality. 

Aside from the money and pricing factors, the atmospheres of the two places are almost complete opposites. Walking into Starbucks is pretty quiet; even if they are slammed, the workers are always friendly with a smile. The tables and floor are almost always cleaned off and well put together. It would be the perfect place to sit if you needed to get some extra work done while drinking your coffee. However, Dunkin’ is usually the opposite of this. The inside of Dunkin is messy, the music is typically blaring loud, and the workers are generally irritable. The two can be equally busy, but the kindness and atmosphere around Starbucks are usually a lot more welcoming. 

For the times that you are in a rush or don’t feel like getting out of your car and going through the drive-thru, Starbucks is also the better option. Although they can both get pretty busy, Starbucks usually goes through cars faster than at Dunkin’. Multiple people are taking and making orders, and their speed is unmatched. However, if you try to go through the Dunkin’ drive-thru in the morning, forget about it. The line is always around the door, and they usually take a very long time to take and give orders out the window. 

The better option is always just making your food and drinks at home, but if you prefer to stop somewhere out, I would go to Starbucks. So, even though your bank account might cringe a little bit at Starbucks pricing, the little extra money is all worth it compared to customer service, drink and food quality, speed, and tidiness.