There is nothing quite like the first cup of the morning, and these days a coffee shop sits on nearly every corner to help you get it. But which ones are really worth your money? We gathered a ranking from The Daily Meal and a blind taste test run by the ABC15 Smart Shopper team to sort seven popular chains by taste and price. Whenever a writer or customer flagged a drink or menu item as a letdown, we tell you exactly who said it. When nobody did, we say so rather than guess. Pour yourself a warm mug and settle in, because your usual order may or may not hold up.
1. Peet’s Coffee
The Daily Meal puts Peet’s at the very top of its list of the best coffee chains in America. The writer credits the company’s fresh, organic beans and points to the Black Tie iced coffee, the horchata and the pumpkin spice drinks as standouts. Peet’s also sells several blends for brewing at home, which is handy if you would rather skip the drive. The write up does not talk about prices, so we cannot tell you how Peet’s compares with its neighbors on cost. It also does not single out any drink as a disappointment, so there is no order to skip according to this source. If you want a coffee shop where the beans get most of the attention, this is the one The Daily Meal would send you to first. The chain’s rewards program, called Peetnik Rewards, was described as a nice perk for regulars who stop in often.
2. Caribou Coffee
Coming in second on The Daily Meal ranking is Caribou Coffee, praised for quality beans and a varied menu of hot and cold drinks. The article also notes that Caribou ranked first in a Restaurant Business Online survey on how much customers crave a chain, taking 36.9 percent of the first place votes. That is a lot of loyal fans. Prices were not discussed in the write up, and no particular drink was called out as a miss, so we will not make one up. For anyone who enjoys having plenty of choices, from a simple hot cup to something icy and sweet, Caribou looks like a safe bet according to this source. Think of it as the friendly neighborhood coffeehouse that happens to have a long menu, which makes it easy to bring along a friend who orders something different from you.
3. Starbucks
The Daily Meal lands Starbucks in the seventh spot. The writer says it is not the finest roaster and that many places do better, which will surprise some longtime loyalists. Price is the main sticking point, since the article notes the chain pioneered charging more than five dollars for a large drink. On the plus side, the Pumpkin Spice Latte is the one drink the writer recommends. In the 2017 blind taste test by the ABC15 Smart Shopper team in Tempe, Arizona, Starbucks came in second with 35 percent of the vote, and its small coffee was actually the cheapest of the three chains tested at 15.5 cents per ounce. So the real cost depends on what you order. A plain brewed cup is one thing, while a large specialty drink is another. Neither source named a particular order to skip.
4. Dunkin’
The Daily Meal ranks Dunkin’ eighth, noting that the coffee is consistent across roughly 8,500 locations but lacks strong flavor. The writer calls the donuts hit and miss. The upside is price, because a large coffee drink here is cheap. In the ABC15 Smart Shopper blind taste test in Tempe, Dunkin’ finished third with 26 percent of the vote, and its small coffee cost 16 cents per ounce, a hair more than Starbucks. That test is from 2017, so it is a snapshot rather than a final word. The Daily Meal also mentions the Coolata and the Dunkachino among the drinks on the menu, but it does not say whether they are worth ordering. If you want a dependable cup you can count on while running errands, Dunkin’ fits the bill. If you want a coffee with real personality, these sources suggest looking elsewhere.
5. The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf
In ninth place on The Daily Meal list is The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. The writer says its drinks and food are usually held in high esteem and recommends the seasonal specialty drinks as well as the flavored powdered creamers, a fun way to dress up a cup at home. The knock here is service, since the article says customer service was criticized at both the local and corporate levels. That is a complaint about the experience rather than the coffee itself, so it may or may not matter to you. The article does not talk about prices and does not name any one drink to avoid. If you enjoy trying seasonal flavors and are willing to be patient at the counter, this chain could be a pleasant treat now and then.
6. Tim Hortons
The Daily Meal places Tim Hortons tenth. The writer says Canadians noticed a drop in quality after Burger King acquired the chain in 2014, but adds that the beans are not the problem. In fact, the Original Blend beans are praised for both flavor and affordability, which is a nice combination. Timbits and build your own sandwiches round out the menu. No specific drink is criticized, so this source gives us no order to skip. If you grew up near a Tim Hortons or have friends from up north who swear by it, this ranking suggests the plain cup of Original Blend is the place to start. It may not top the list, but it earns respect for being easy on the wallet and friendly on the palate, and sometimes that is exactly what a morning calls for.
7. Dutch Bros. Coffee
At the bottom of The Daily Meal list sits Dutch Bros. Coffee, which the writer calls subpar, quoting one customer who compared the taste to rusty water. The article says the drinks tend to be overly sweet, naming the Annihilator and the milkshakes, and adds that the menu is poor for people who like plain black coffee. It does note that prices are lower than many competitors. Interestingly, the ABC15 Smart Shopper team in Tempe found the opposite on taste back in 2017. Dutch Bros won that blind test with 39 percent of the vote, though it was also the priciest of the three at 17 cents per ounce for a small coffee. Opinions clearly vary, and the sweet, fancy drinks are likely a bigger draw than a simple black cup.
