By Cordelia Song and Sophie Wang, Staff Writer and Copy Editor |

As the world tumbles through war and uncertainty, the age-old debate still remains unsolved. Which coffee shop chain is better, Starbucks or Dunkin’?

Through a survey sent to the Upper School community, the school has spoken. Starbucks is the winner of this debate! Of the 80 respondents, 55 people (68.8%) voted in favor of Starbucks. Nine out of twelve teachers prefer Starbucks, one stating, “Starbucks tastes like coffee—Dunkin’ tastes like burnt water.” Many people wrote that Dunkin’s coffee is of lower quality than Starbucks’ and can be very “hit or miss.” Students who prefer Starbucks like it due to the wide range of food items, such as its grilled cheese (our personal favorite) and bakery selections. Although Starbucks is more expensive, there is a wider variety of options and high-quality products. In our opinion, the food is worth the higher price.

Ada Horton ’29 likes Dunkin’ more because “it’s a MA classic, and less gimmicky,” but locality just can’t beat quality. On the other hand, another student voting for Starbucks “prefer[s] Starbucks because Starbucks gives [them] the choice to customize [their] drink.” Ms. Tu, a faculty member in the World Language Department, expresses her opinion: “I enjoy the taste of Dunkin’ coffee more.” She also adds, “As a Bostonian, I feel a sense of hometown pride and enjoy supporting a local brand that started in my home state.” 

Starbucks’ drinks are usually around $4-6, whereas Dunkin’ drinks are usually $3-4.50. Along with this, Starbucks’ ambiance consists of “third place” seating, music, Wi-Fi, and is commonly known as a place to relax and do work. Dunkin’ is more focused on quick-service and is centered around drive-thru/pickup culture. We personally like a cafe with a serene atmosphere and seating areas to do work, so Starbucks is the best choice. Even though Starbucks is the personal favorite of most Winsor students, Dunkin’ also has its charms. The brand is local, and the cafe sells donuts. The two companies are extremely different, and one’s favorite can differ based on what one likes, but we, and most of the school, know Starbucks is the better brand.