12 Drinks You Should Never Order At Dunkin'

With thousands of locations across the U.S., it's hard to find an American unfamiliar with Dunkin' — and you're far more likely to find a fan of the coffee giant instead. Of course, while the widely popular chain undoubtedly wows consumers with many of its delicious coffee creations, even a Dunkin' devotee can't deny that a handful of items gracing Dunkin's menu completely miss the mark.

Given this, I compiled a list of Dunkin' drinks that should be avoided at all costs based on personal experience, coupled with various online reviews and rankings. There's simply no denying these Dunkin' beverages fall flat with its regulars when it comes to overall flavor, and in comparison to the chain's more enticing options.

From coffee-based drinks, sweeter sips, and more, this list is made up of both seasonal releases and regular menu items. Although these beverages span a wide array of Dunkin' possibilities, they all have one thing in common: They're the chain's most disappointing drinks to date. Here are 12 drinks you should never order at Dunkin'.

Tropical fruit may be the king of refreshing chilled flavors that both cool you down, and add an invigorating burst of natural sugar. Dunkin' utilizes this punch of zesty sweetness in its mango pineapple Refresher: a fruity drink made with caffeinated green tea. Now, while these two fruits seem like the perfect pairing for a naturally energizing iced drink (one to enjoy in lieu of coffee), Dunkin' simply doesn't nail the necessary flavor balance between these tropical favorites.

Of all of Dunkin's Refresher drinks, the pineapple mango variety just might be the worst. Pineapple completely overshadows mango in this Refresher, with no mellow mango to help tame the pineapple's aggressive tartness. Not only is the mango flavor almost completely absent from this drink, but the pineapple essence tastes far from fresh. With an artificial rendition of pineapple as the main component of this Refresher, it also lacks any natural acidity needed to counter the sugar, so be sure to avoid it.

You can't get much classier than a traditional cappuccino. One of Dunkin's sugar-free drink options, the standard order only contains espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam — allowing the espresso to shine (with the hint of milk balancing out its bitterness). Although a cappuccino is similar to a latte – often causing confusion for those less familiar with the world of coffee drinks — the distinction lies in the ratios. A cappuccino is made with equal parts espresso, milk, and foam, after all, and that extra focus on foam pushes this Dunkin' beverage into undesirable territory.

The larger dose of foam is the main reason why I — and others — prefer Dunkin's latte to its cappuccino. For starters, the foam on Dunkin's drinks tends to dissipate rapidly, forcing you to scarf down your coffee (an especially unappealing task when it's piping hot). And if you wait for it to cool down, you'll be left with slightly milky espresso in a cup that's only about halfway full — without a drop of foam to be found.

Now, generally speaking, the time it takes for your foam to disappear depends, in part, on the type of milk used. Non-dairy milks tend to create a weak, watery foam, low-fat milk creates a thicker product, and full-fat milk leads to a luscious, flavorful foam. Unfortunately, every type of milk at Dunkin' seems to create a poorly structured foam layer, inevitably turning a cappuccino's most appealing aspect into its greatest downfall.

When a late-night sweets craving kicks in, Dunkin's got your back. Despite being known for its caffeinated beverages, you can find swaths of caffeine-free drinks at Dunkin' to help warm you up or cool you down. These drinks are excellent for evenings, when you don't want to end up tossing and turning in bed from extra caffeine. Its frozen chocolates fit this bill, and come as either straight-up chocolate flavor, or with your choice of creamy add-in. Now, while caramel and chocolate are a natural duo, the chain's caramel swirl frozen chocolate isn't nearly as appealing as it sounds.

You might think the addition of caramel would add loads of buttery, slightly salty flavor to your frozen chocolate — but you'd be wrong. In fact, the caramel in this drink is practically undetectable. Rich chocolate completely masks it, with the added swirl only succeeding in making the drink too sugary. Instead of a rush of luscious dessert flavors, you're met with what is, in essence, a too-sweet and watered-down chocolate milk.

Flavored coffees are incredibly polarizing, and hazelnut may be the most love-it-or-hate-it of them all. If you do love hazelnut-flavored coffee, though, you're best bet is probably avoiding the flavor entirely from Dunkin'. The chain's hazelnut coffee doesn't come close to entering the realm of high-quality flavored coffees, using a fake hazelnut additive in its pre-ground coffee that can barely hold a candle to the real deal.

Now, to be fair, some artificial renditions of flavored coffees taste close enough to their natural predecessor that the reduction in quality is relatively irrelevant. However, when it comes to hazelnut, quality is everything, and Dunkin' misses the mark.

Real hazelnut is super nutty and ultra buttery, seamlessly blending into a naturally acidic and sweet coffee. Artificially-flavored hazelnut coffees, however — like the one from Dunkin' — are typically too bitter, lacking the smoothness, nuttiness, and earthiness of the real thing (along with a chemical-like aftertaste). Since Dunkin's classic drip coffee is already more bitter than most, adding this acrid flavor takes the coffee from mediocre to miserable, so avoid this drink from the chain.

Poor blue raspberry. This flavor tends to get a lot of hate ... though I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that dislike is for good reason. Blue raspberry is a strange flavor with questionable origins, after all, and more popular with children than adults (since aging tends to redefine our palates and make ultra-sweet, artificial flavors less appealing). Now, some treats — like the Slurpee — showcase this fake fruit flavor in its most quintessential and delicious form. And while I think Dunkin' was going for a Slurpee-like drink with its blue raspberry Coolatta, it never should have attempted it in the first place.

Dunkin's blue raspberry syrup is excessively sugary, to the point that simply finishing this entire beverage is a feat in and of itself. Not only is this Dunkin' drink terribly saccharine, but it also has a medicine-like aftertaste — one that makes going in for a second sip nearly impossible. This unpleasant taste doesn't deserve to be anywhere near an allegedly refreshing treat, especially one that's geared towards kids, who'll likely cringe at this contemptible Coolatta.

Dunkin' attempted to give McDonald's (and its esteemed Shamrock Shake) a run for its money when it introduced the shamrock macchiato. This St. Patrick's Day-themed macchiato combines the boozy, decadent essence of Irish cream with strong espresso and creamy milk — or it tries to, anyway.

The worst aspect of this holiday-centric drink is its color. Brown coffee and green syrup combine to create a dastardly hue that nothing edible should ever be. Even if you can muster up the strength to look past the color and judge this coffee on taste — and taste alone — well, I have some bad news for you. Though Dunkin's shamrock macchiato is advertised as Irish cream-flavored (and allegedly contains hints of Irish whiskey sans alcohol), the Irish cream syrup is neither creamy nor reminiscent of booze.

The added syrup (which is supposed to mimic whiskey) tastes more like chemicals than Jameson. Additionally, while fake-tasting vanilla and almond flavors combine in an attempt to create the creaminess in this drink, it falls completely flat on all counts.

Of all the potential flavor syrups at Dunkin' to add to coffee, raspberry is arguably the worst. While raspberry iced tea at Dunkin' is among its most popular non-coffee drinks, I implore you: Do not try to recreate the delectable iced tea by using iced coffee instead. Although Dunkin's raspberry syrup tastes similar to fresh-picked fruit — with a zestiness that's made for warm weather — no level of quality or similarities to real fruit could save this drink from being a terrible combination in the first place.

The raspberry flavor actually blends into coffee better than some other Dunkin' flavor syrups, but the natural raspberry tartness is hard to ignore. Tart flavors accentuate the bitterness of coffee, resulting in a pungent drink that's hard to savor for even a sip or two.

Additionally, if you're thinking a splash of milk will mellow it out, think again, as adding milk to this raspberry and coffee combo renders it totally undrinkable. In fact, when this fruit-flavored syrup combines with milk, it creates a sour and creamy flavor reminiscent of rancid dairy. Perhaps this drink may be slightly more palatable when hot rather than iced, but I'd still strongly advise against ordering it in any form.

Although herbal teas are far from the most popular menu items at Dunkin', a steamy, caffeine-free beverage is sometimes warranted if you're feeling under the weather (or in need of a comforting after-dinner drink). Now, Dunkin offers three varieties of herbal tea, and while two of them are a slam dunk? The other stands out as a forgettable option, and Dunkin' cool mint tea should be avoided.

Cool mint tea may sound like it would be both refreshing and invigorating, since that's true for similar varieties sold by other brands. But the issue with Dunkin's cool mint tea isn't that it's not minty enough, but the opposite. The chain's cool mint tea tastes like it's composed of peppermint — and nothing else. In fact, it packs such a strong punch of mint flavor that a single sip brings to mind a trip to the dentist rather than a cozy winter night spent by a roaring fire.

A hint of additional flavors, such as something sweet to subdue the mint's overpowering nature, might take it from pungent to pleasant. Even another strong component, like spicy anise or ginger, could have potentially distracted from the mighty mint, and created a more balanced and soothing herbal tea. As it stands, though, you should never order this drink from Dunkin'.

If coffee has run its course in your life, it may be time to switch things up with a different kind of caffeinated wake-up. Enter matcha: An earthy, concentrated green tea-like drink that, in its natural state (and depending on the quality), can taste like sipping on pureed lawn clippings. Matcha is commonly made into both hot and iced lattes, with added sugar balancing out its prominent earthy bitterness. However, in the case of Dunkin's matcha, the sugar does a lot more than just tame any grass-like flavors.

Although the brand behind Dunkin's matcha powder has been around for over a century — and has a longstanding positive reputation around the world — the variety used by Dunkin' may not be entirely genuine. The possible inclusion of more sugar than green tea powder renders this matcha not only inauthentic, but also grossly sweet.

Quality matcha powder typically contains just enough sugar to subdue the drink's potentially excessive natural flavors, allowing you to enjoy the taste of this centuries-old elixir along with its many health benefits. Unfortunately, the extra sugar in this matcha is apt to reduce any positive nutritional aspects, while its unique fragrances and flavors are all but erased in this Dunkin latte.

Dunkin' hosts a plethora of sugar-free syrups, and I applaud it for that. Two of its sugar-free options — almond and toasted coconut — combine to create one of Dunkin's more popular sugar-free (and off-menu) drinks. Now, although this is on Dunkin's secret menu as of 2024, the so-named Almond Joy iced coffee was actually a regular menu item at one point. Of course, while you can still order it if you know the specific ingredients, I can't imagine why anyone would want to.

Frankly, the use of both almond and toasted coconut leads to a battle between dueling overbearing flavors in your iced coffee order. This results in a drink you might find enjoyable for a sip or two, but you'll quickly end up dumping out (and possibly wishing you had opted for a more standard beverage). The coconut completely overpowers the almond in this drink, and what little almond flavor does remain tastes far too artificial.

If you must give this drink a go, I'd recommend ordering it with a specific number of flavor shots, aiming for a two-to-one ratio of almond to coconut (which will allow you to savor each flavor equally). Of course, the best advice may be to set aside any health goals, and simply go all-in on a sugar-laden version of this drink to maximize the nutty, creamy, and sweet flavors.

Macchiatos are among the most sought-after drinks on the Dunkin' menu, with many seasonal creations spawning from this classic Italian drink. Now, while some may debate whether Dunkin' or Starbucks does a better macchiato, the fact remains that certain components are necessary to create a delicious rendition of this beverage. And no matter where your loyalties lie, Dunkin's iced macchiato simply can't compete with the higher quality versions from other restaurants.

Though a hot macchiato from Dunkin' consists of milk, espresso, and foam (with the option to add flavor shots or swirls), the iced version contains no foam, which is an immediate disappointment. After all, foam is a crucial reason for the popularity of iced macchiatos. Milk is actually added to this iced macchiato first, before being topped with espresso — essentially creating an upside-down latte. This switch may work well as a hot drink, but ice creates a barrier between the two ingredients that prevents them from meshing together, leaving a stark line between the dairy and coffee.

Furthermore, using a straw to drink Dunkin's iced macchiato only worsens this poorly designed beverage. The first few sips from the bottom taste like nothing but watered-down milk, while the final few gulps provide a powerful rush of coffee that you're apt to be unprepared for. In short, it's easy to see why this drink is ranked among the worst of Dunkin's iced coffees.

Another example of an improper use of Dunkin' espresso comes in the form of its iced Americano. This beverage consists of espresso and water — and nothing else — and tastes similar to a more robust black drip coffee. Now, water isn't necessarily needed in an iced Americano because ice alone is often enough to create an ideal ratio of water to espresso. Unfortunately, in Dunkin's case, no ratio could save this espresso-forward drink from being one of the worst on Dunkin's menu.

Just like with the traditional macchiato, espresso stands front and center in this beverage as the star of the show. Unfortunately, it's also the sole flavor. As a result, an iced Americano highlights every potential flaw in Dunkin's espresso, from its strong, bitter, acidic flavors, to a lack of balance (potentially due to roasting defects or low-quality beans). Since Dunkin' isn't exactly known for its superior quality espresso, it's best to stay away from an iced Americano.

Instead, opt for a hot version of the drink with milk and sugar, or consider adding your preferred flavor syrup. Then again, while Dunkin's hot Americano tends to taste slightly less bitter than the iced version, your best bet might be to avoid this drink altogether.