Starbucks Vs Dutch Bros: Who Makes The Better Coffee?

There's nothing like that first sip of coffee to give you a pep in your step. Whether you have loyalty to a certain brand or you're trying to figure out different spots to venture to, there are plenty of chain coffee joints to hit up nationwide. I have a decades-long familiarity with Starbucks — I used to buy Frappuccinos at the mall as a teen and even visited the oldest Starbucks located in Pike Place Seattle. But I only became acquainted with Dutch Bros in the past year when I discovered it was available in my area. Since that realization, I've visited the little spot plenty of times. But I've never put the two companies in a head-to-head comparison. I decided to pick relatively classic, basic beverages from each to get a feel for the offerings, how they taste, and what sets them apart. 

Starbucks and Dutch Bros have vastly different user experiences. Dutch Bros is notorious for its convivial, bubbly service where the "broistas" ask about your day and genuinely listen. Starbucks baristas, while cordial, efficiently take your order and move on to the next person in line. To streamline things, this article is solely about the drinks. I picked products that were somewhat similar between the two companies. I tried each brand's version of an iced vanilla latte, cold brew, blended caramel beverage, and hot mocha. Grab your own cuppa coffee and settle in for this highly caffeinated taste test.

You're more likely to find a Starbucks just around the corner from you because the brand has over 32,000 locations in 80 countries. If you're wondering, California is the U.S. state with the highest number of Starbucks locations. Dutch Bros seems teeny in comparison with nearly 1,000 locations throughout 18 states. But Dutch Bros is aggressively expanding and constantly opening new spots, so you may find one in your area or state sooner than you'd think. 

This coffee battle was difficult because the two companies offer distinct drinks and experiences. Drink prices at each establishment vary, but it isn't too huge of a difference. At Starbucks, the Caffè Mocha costs $5.75, while the Dutch Bros hot mocha is priced at $5.95. The Starbucks iced vanilla latte is $6.25, compared to the Dutch Bros version that's $5.95. The cold brews at both Starbucks and Dutch Bros are priced at $4.95. For the blended caramel-flavored drinks, the two chains had the largest price gap, with the Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino coming in at $5.95, while the Dutch Bros Caramelizer is $6.65.

These prices are based on my location in the San Diego area for a grande or medium-sized drink. As a side (but related) note, Starbucks' grande is 16 ounces whereas Dutch Bros drinks are 24 ounces for iced drinks and 16 ounces for hot. Dutch Bros tends to use larger cup sizes that are laden with ice, so don't assume you're getting 8 extra ounces of liquid because that's not the case.

Starbucks has loads of latte iterations — the iced vanilla latte is one among many. The grande-sized drink is made with 2% milk, four pumps of vanilla syrup, and two shots of blonde espresso over ice and has 170 milligrams of caffeine. This sipper has little pebble ice, a vanilla undertone with milk, and a hint of espresso. Among all the other ingredients, the espresso is the last thing that I taste; it's there but barely. This drink has a mild sweetness to it, but it's not overdone. 

Starbucks makes it easy to customize your drink, whether you do so via the app or in person. If you just want a hint of the flavor without overpowering the taste of the espresso, you could opt for two pumps of vanilla instead of the standard four. Or you could opt for whole milk to give you a creamier result. Starbucks serves the drink in a clear plastic cup with a plastic lid. 

The ice sometimes gets stuck in the hole, so you have to dislodge it, which is the main issue with this type of lid. This is a classic beverage for a reason, and yet it was the most expensive out of all of the Starbucks drinks, even the Frappuccino. It's not a distinctive drink, but it's a superb option when you want something easy to sip on and don't want to waste money on something you're not sure you'll like. 

The Starbucks cold brew is steeped in cold water for 20 hours to give it a smooth flavor. It has a mellow taste and isn't too acidic, which makes it a good option for those who don't usually appreciate the bitterness of black coffee. The cold brew is certainly more approachable than your average plain iced coffee. This drink has the same plastic cup and lid, and therefore, the same issue as the Starbucks iced vanilla latte in terms of ice getting stuck in the lid. 

Because I didn't want my drink to turn into water by the time I got home, I asked for light ice. This helped retain some of the coffee flavor. It was a smidge watered-down but surely would've been more watery if I had the standard amount of ice. This is a drink you should sip on straight away, particularly in summer as the temperatures may make the ice melter faster. With this drink, you could also ask for no ice. If you're a coffee purist who prefers a no-fuss drink, then this may be your go-to. 

Frappuccinos remind me of my teenage years. I wasn't very into coffee at the time, so the idea of it being a frozen blended treat made coffee more enticing. I chose the Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino Blended Beverage, which is made with whole milk (but I opted for 2%), three pumps of caramel syrup, three pumps of Frappuccino Roast, caramel drizzle, and whipped cream. This Frappuccino has 90 milligrams of caffeine because it contains coffee, not espresso, but you could opt for an Espresso Frappuccino if you want the added caffeine (155 milligrams) and coffee flavor.

Despite being made with coffee, not espresso, I could taste the coffee flavor in this beverage, which I was slightly surprised about. It is quite sweet, the sweetest on this list, because of the caramel. It has a generous portion of whipped cream and caramel on the top, which gives it a further creamy sweetness. The bottom portion of the drink melts so it's essentially a liquid coffee drink whereas the top portion has more of the icy thick consistency. I wouldn't order this again purely because of the sugar content — I like milk in my coffee but don't usually need sugar — but I appreciate a blended drink as a way to switch up the texture.

Starbucks mochas are made with steamed 2% milk, milk foam, two shots of espresso, two pumps of mocha sauce, and whipped cream. The hot drink is sweetened yet still has a rich cocoa taste followed by the flavor of espresso. There's milk, but it isn't the most prominent flavor mainly because the chocolate flavor tends to take over. I have tried different mochas from Starbucks and other brands, including the peppermint mocha, which I compared with the version from Dunkin', and I am a fan of the bittersweet taste of Starbucks' version. This is because the mocha sauce is made with cocoa so you can taste the earthy, bittersweet undertones on your tongue, even with the sugar. 

The mocha sauce pools to the bottom, so my tip is to stir your drink every so often to get the full cocoa-y effect — or else you'll find a little sauce mountain when you finish your drink. This is like a grown-up hot chocolate because you get the added boost of caffeine. This magnificently blends coffee and chocolate into one beverage, and I also enjoy the cozy hot aspect of this drink. This was my favorite of the Starbucks beverages I drank.

Now we move on to the Dutch Bros portion of the taste test. We're starting off strong because the iced vanilla latte was my favorite of the four Dutch Bros drinks from this tasting. The Dutch Bros iced drinks have a lid similar to Starbucks, but the opening is considerably wider. The ice is also larger, so I didn't have the same issue of ice getting lodged in the opening. 

The app says the iced vanilla latte is made with espresso, vanilla syrup, and 2% milk. The Dutch Bros iced beverage had a nice brown color to it, slightly darker than the Starbucks version. But seeing as it's a latte, the drink is milky. The milk is the predominant taste, but there's also that hint of vanilla and the lingering flavor of espresso on the tongue. The espresso tastes smooth while the vanilla brings a welcome hint of sweetness to the palate. 

The iced latte remains quite cold because Dutch Bros has a larger size with a considerable amount of ice, which could be a fantastic choice if you're traveling, driving, or sipping slowly. You can enjoy the flavors after half an hour without it being a watery mess. This latte is easy to drink and not too sweet. It delivers a good balance of coffee with the undertones of the vanilla, which can be a fantastic option for someone seeking that flavor.

The Dutch Bros cold brew is very mild. It doesn't taste like a whole lot. To its credit, this coffee drink is not bitter. Much like the Starbucks cold brew, this can be a splendid starting point for those who do not like black coffee. Its temperate taste may be a good quality for a cold brew, but it was forgettable at the same time. I don't have a lot to say about this as it wasn't particularly memorable or exciting. I would be interested to try the toasted cold brew, which is the hot version; this is the closest thing to a regular cup of black coffee that I could find on the menu. 

The Dutch Bros website mentions that you can customize the cold (or hot) brew with whipped cream, drizzles, and other inclusions. This would make a smoother coffee beverage than your average cup of joe. I would likely take this route rather than getting a plain cold brew again. Seeing as this drink costs nearly $5, I would prefer to pay a dollar more to get a different drink, such as the iced vanilla latte, or pay more for some type of customization.

The Dutch Bros Caramelizer Freeze held up its thickness very adequately compared to the Starbucks Frappuccino. This created a delightful sensory experience as it was completely icy for quite some time, rather than starting to melt like the Starbucks one did. Obviously, after an hour or so the ice melted, so it was a purely liquid drink, but this gives you plenty of time to enjoy it in its frozen state.

The Caramelizer Freeze beverage, however, is extremely sweet. It's like slurping a dessert. It does not have a light sugary taste like you would expect from any type of syrup. It is genuinely cloying. It leaves a lingering burst of sugar well after swallowing. Besides that, I enjoy the caramel flavors that come through. There's a milky richness with a tinge of coffee, but not as strong as the Starbucks caramel Frap coffee flavor. 

This Dutch Bros drink is very caramel-forward and can be enjoyed if you're going for a milkshake type of vibe — cold, thick, sweet. If that's not what you're going for, then you may find the sweetness is overwhelming. This drink has pros and cons: I like the texture, but the flavor isn't something I'd pick again, especially given that the coffee flavor didn't come through too much.

Dutch Bros makes its mocha with espresso and chocolate milk, which gives it a unique spin compared with the Starbucks version. It's not served with whipped cream, but you could customize your drink to include it. The mocha had an adequate chocolate profile, but I wanted more to pop through. Chocolate milk has a certain level of chocolate flavor — but it can only be so chocolatey unless you make a scratch version and add a ton of chocolate or sauce. 

This drink has a gentle chocolate taste, but I appreciate my mocha when it's much richer. The flavor is there, but it isn't nearly as strong or cocoa-forward as the Starbucks version, which leans more into bittersweet territory. The mocha is the only drink in this taste comparison that I thought Starbucks won by a landslide. I tend to prefer hot coffee beverages over iced ones, but I don't love this Dutch Bros one. While it has a chocolate taste, it doesn't deliver the cocoa notes that are a vital part of a mocha. Using chocolate milk is an interesting and admittedly captivating concept to me as someone who loves to try different ingredients, but this Dutch Bros beverage doesn't hit the spot.

To conduct this taste test, I picked similar items from both Dutch Bros and Starbucks, which meant choosing more basic beverages to get an overall feel for the coffee. Dutch Bros has products like protein coffee – something that Starbucks doesn't offer — and a lot of rich breve-based drinks as well as secret menu items. I ordered via both brands' mobile apps to streamline the process. Ordering was seamless for both, but the Dutch Bros service was particularly pleasant.

As a whole, the drinks I tried were perfectly fine, but some things stood out. To start, the Dutch Bros cold brew was on the bland side; I wanted more strength in the flavor. The Starbucks mocha was considerably better because of its rich chocolate flavor. Both vanilla iced vanilla lattes were good, but I favored the Dutch Bros one because it was smooth yet still had a discernable espresso taste. And lastly, both blended caramel drinks had issues, so they were rather equal. So if we're doing the math on four drinks, two of the Starbucks drinks were better, one Dutch Bros beverage was better, and the other drink was equal. Therefore, Starbucks wins this round, but not by much. Dutch Bros' strong suit is its flavored beverages, even according to its own Dutch Faves section. One of my top picks is the Annihilator, which is an espresso chocolate macadamia breve drink. 

I have tried many types of drinks from both brands, so I'd say there are some questions to ask yourself before you order. Do you like plain drinks or ones with more pizzazz? Iced or hot? Do use prefer fast or friendly service? Your answers to these questions may help you in your journey into which chain makes the best coffee.