With the first bell ringing, Archmere students rush to class accompanied by their friends, peers, and overpriced beverages. As one walks the Archmere campus, you can not help but be met with students carrying a variety of drinks ranging from Hot Caffè Lattes coffees to Venti Pink Drinks, purchased from their favorite cafés, mainly Dunkin’ and Starbucks. Both have a dedicated cult following, but which is more popular at Archmere?
Dunkin’, previously known as Dunkin’ Donuts, was founded in 1950 in Quincy Massachusetts, by Bill Rosenberg. Today, Dunkin’ has over 8,400 locations nationwide, mostly on the East Coast. Many Dunkin’ goers prefer Dunkin’s nostalgic vibe, simplistic menu, and reasonably priced items. In recent years, Dunkin’ has connected with younger generations through their use of collaborations with popular celebrities and influencers, such as Sabrina Carpenter with her Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso and . At Archmere, many students can be found with Dunkin products, due to the coffee shop’s close proximity to the school less than half mile down Philadelphia Pike.
On the flip side, Starbucks originated on the West Coast and was founded in 1971 in Seattle’s Pike Place Market by Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker, and Zev Siegl. The original store sold over 30 different varieties of coffee beans and was operated by only one employee. At the time, Starbucks’ marketing director, Howard Schultz, had a vision of turning this coffee store into a small local chain, but was met with opposition from the founders who did not want to deviate from their original model. Now we know that eventually, Schultz got his way of turning Starbucks into a chain with massive success. Starbucks serves over 10 million customers each day, serving up a unique drink for each customer.
Although both are good in their own respects, which is the more popular chain? When a group of Archmere students were asked a quick survey during Work Period and lunch to choose between Starbucks and Dunkin’, Starbucks overwhelmingly won. Emily Juarez ‘26 expressed her love for Starbucks, stating that “they have more syrups and coffee variation, while Dunkin only does the standards, vanilla, caramel, and hazelnut.” She described her love for Starbucks’ seasonal beverages and snacks, including Winter’s Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte and Spring’s Lavender Vanilla Matcha stating that “they are more creative than Dunkin’.” Similarly, Natalie Lucas ‘26 stated her love for the pink drink, stating that it is “so delicious.”
Many Archmere students cited that they preferred the drinks at Starbucks compared to those of Dunkin’. However, many mentioned they prefer the food items sold at Dunkin’ compared to Starbucks. Overall, in this highly scientific, controlled experiment, Starbucks wins in the eyes and the pink Stanleys of the Archmere community.
