Every Hot Drink At Dunkin', Ranked Worst To Best

Whether you're kicking off a busy workday or want something to warm you up on a chilly day, there's nothing quite like a hot drink to soothe the mind, body, and taste buds. Dunkin' is a popular coffee chain with a wide selection of beverages, from staple favorites to secret menu drinks, but I specifically wanted to see how the hot drinks stack up. I've tried a few hot beverages from the brand, but nowhere near everything on the menu. The coffee company has a blend of year-round hot classics and seasonal or rotating menu items, so your menu may differ slightly based on the time of year. 

I considered the flavor of the drinks, as well as their appearance and price. Some drinks are especially delicious, rich, and memorable, while others are not as satisfying. This exhaustive list may help you better decide what drink to order the next time you visit, whether you're new to the brand or you're craving something different than your usual order. I ordered all of my drinks with skim milk to keep the flavor profile as similar as possible, but you could also customize them with a shot of espresso or flavored syrup. Let's dive in and find out which drinks are among the best and which ones you should skip.

The Americano is a simple beverage made with two shots of espresso and hot water. Dunkin's version is extremely bitter. Given that you get a full cup of the intense drink, the sipping experience is an unpleasant chore rather than an enjoyable affair. This isn't an isolated incident, as the cold Americano fared just as badly on a prior review of every Dunkin' iced coffee. 

As you'll come to see, Dunkin's drinks do better with milk and/or sweeteners added to help mask the acidity of the coffee or espresso. I can't imagine many people would like the Americano, as I was ready to call it quits after one sip. 

The oiginal blend medium roast coffee is considered the quintessential Dunkin' coffee, but it's nothing special — especially if compare it to the higher-ranking coffees. It tastes like the watered-down coffee you might get at a late-night diner. It's not something I'd want to pay for again, but if I did, I'd rather purchase a 12-ounce bag of ground coffee beans for a few bucks and make a stronger cup of coffee at home. 

There's not a lot to say about this coffee other than there are better items on the menu. But it did better than the Americano because it is not nearly as bitter; it has a moderately more palatable taste and costs nearly a dollar less.

The espresso, made with Arabica beans, delivers a concentrated bitter flavor profile. Unlike the original blend and Americano beverages, you can easily down the espresso in one gulp and move on with your day, which gives it a slight boost in the ranking. While it was just as unpalatable as the previous two, at least you don't have to suffer for as long. 

You could order one shot of espresso (which I did) or two. Strangely, two espresso shots cost more than any drink on this list. While I wouldn't recommend any of the drinks thus far, at least the espresso has potential if you want to add sugar or add it to another drink to give it a caffeine boost. 

All of Dunkin's teas come in a pyramid tea sachet, but not all of them are flavorful. Compared to the coffees, I found all of Dunkin's teas to be extremely hot. I had to leave the lid off every tea for several minutes to avoid burning my tongue. 

The Cool Mint Herbal Infusion, made with peppermint and cornflower, has a mild aroma and flavor with a brown, slightly green tinge. I recently tried a bunch of peppermint tea brands, so I can confidently say Dunkin's tea is both bland and not worth the cost. 

After the initial, moderately minty sip, the aftertaste is mainly watery. I don't get the strong, minty, toothpaste-like aftertaste and tingly sensation that I associate with a robust cup of mint tea. My peppermint tea bag exploded, so the tea leaves were all over the cup when I opened it up. The mint tea fares better than Dunkin's espresso because it's drinkable, but it lacks the potency needed in a good cuppa.

The Chamomile Fields Herbal Infusion tea has a light brown color and the classic floral notes you'd expect from the little flower. Yet, its flavor is on the mild side — despite ingredients like orange peel, chamomile flowers, lemongrass, licorice root, and cornflower. While chamomile isn't known for being strong and in-your-face in terms of taste, this one lacked flavor overall. 

Like the mint tea, it tasted mainly watery. Sure, tea is made with water (and coffee is too), but the tea leaves should still offer something to the taste buds. It's almost like the water itself had a stronger flavor than the tea, which is mildly concerning. This forgettable beverage isn't worth the price, especially since you can purchase a full pack of chamomile tea for a few cents more. I'd deem the chamomile just as humdrum as the mint, but the bag didn't break, so I'm placing this one higher in the ranking.

Black tea is usually my favorite — as long as it's intense — but the Bold Breakfast black tea is lacking in that department. It's hard to get black tea wrong, but the Dunkin' version doesn't have depth, richness, or the "bold" quality that its name implies. 

Perhaps the weakness could be solved by using two tea bags, but you're effectively doubling the price of something that already isn't very good. While you can spice up black tea by customizing it with milk or sweetener, you shouldn't have to rely on add-ins to make it taste better. Although it's slightly more interesting than Dunkin's chamomile tea, a good black tea can stand on its own, and this one doesn't. 

The Cocoa Mocha signature latte comes with mocha flavor, whipped cream, a mocha drizzle, and hot chocolate powder. However, my experience was off from the get-go – I only received half a drink. Where's the rest? We may never know. While it has a nice cocoa flavor, the Cocoa Mocha is surprisingly sweet with a mild, barely-there coffee profile. It tastes like a creamy hot chocolate with a hint of coffee.

This could be because my drink was half full, leaving a concentrated syrup without enough liquid to balance it. The beverage is certainly more flavorsome than the breakfast tea, which is why I ranked it higher, but it still lacked depth and left me unimpressed. The appearance and flavor missed the mark, and nobody wants half a drink for the price of a full one.

This is where I started to see improvements in the drink lineup. The Dunkin' midnight dark roast Arabica coffee is noticeably more opaque than the original blend black coffee. It has a rich aroma with hints of cocoa. The beverage has a bold, full-bodied, yet smooth flavor, similar to how I brew my coffee at home. It goes down nicely without tasting too bitter, unlike the espresso drinks thus far. 

When I picture a classic cup of coffee, this is more in line with what I imagine. I'd recommend the midnight coffee to someone who wants a plain cup of joe without any fuss. It's far superior to any of the previous coffee or espresso drinks in terms of its depth, flavor, and aroma. 

The pistachio coffee is part of Dunkin's seasonal spring selection. In fact, this is its first time back on the menu since 2018, so if you're a fan, you should sprint to order it while you still can. I'm normally a big fan of pistachio-flavored drinks, but the pistachio flavor swirl didn't hit the mark. Usually, pistachio offers a palpable nutty profile, but this version has a muted taste. 

It wasn't unpleasant by any means, but it didn't deliver enough of its namesake flavor. While more exciting than the Dunkin' midnight coffee, it still lacked flavor. Surprisingly, it costs the same as the Dunkin' midnight, despite including milk and the flavor swirl, which gave it a nominal boost in the ranking. However, I'd much rather DIY the beverage and incorporate pistachios into an at-home latte for a stronger drink.

I've tried the Dunkin' hot chocolate before when I compared it to Starbucks, and, ultimately, the "better" one depends on whether you prefer a milk or water-based hot chocolate. Dunkin' uses water, hot chocolate powder, and brewed espresso coffee to make its beverage. This drink has a light cocoa profile with a whiff of coffee and has a brown, yet visibly watery, appearance. The drink lacks depth on all fronts. 

It's also important to note that this is not a caffeine-free drink. A medium hot chocolate contains a surprising 131 milligrams of caffeine, which means it may not be suitable for children or those sensitive to caffeine. If you're hoping for a creamy beverage, then you should skip this drink. I like the chocolatey taste more than the pistachio, but I'd rather get some of the higher-ranked hot drinks on the Dunkin' menu.

Dunkin's macchiato is very similar to the next two drinks on this list. Only a few small differences set them apart. The macchiato is a layered drink made with milk and two shots of espresso, but the layers were pretty mixed up by the time I got it.

The macchiato lacks the visual appeal that the ombré iced version has. You can't see the light milk blending into the dark espresso. Flavor-wise, the hot drink is smooth and milky, followed by the bitter aftertaste of espresso. This strength gives the espresso-based drink a higher spot than the hot chocolate. However, though it's slightly more expensive than the latte and cappuccino, I didn't feel it was worth the extra cost.

A plain ol' latte is my go-to when visiting different coffee shops, as it's a way for me to gauge quality. Made with steamed milk and freshly ground espresso, the Dunkin' latte is a solid, basic drink to start with if you're not familiar with the menu. The beverage has a nice foam top and delivers what you'd expect from a classic latte, but you could also customize the sweetness with one of Dunkin's flavor swirls. 

Compared to other hot drinks available at the coffee chain, the latte doesn't stand out enough to rank any higher. Still, I appreciate the simplicity of a good latte. It delivers a very similar taste to the macchiato, but comes at a lower price, making it a better value.

The cappuccino is nearly identical to the latte, except it has a more prominent and thicker layer of foam on top. That extra foam adds a pleasant mouthfeel, which is why I placed it higher than the latte. 

Since this is the same price as the latte, the foam alone gives the cappuccino a slight edge. It has the same acidic yet milky flavor as the previous two drinks, so there's not much more to say that hasn't already been said. It's a tasty, strong Dunkin' beverage and perfect when you don't desire any added flavors. 

Dunkin's inconsistency is a big issue. I never have the same experience twice, and I almost always encounter some minor issue with my order (like missing an item or receiving half a drink). The last time I had the Dunkin' chai latte, it was extremely milky and sweet and didn't have a lot of flavor. This time around, I could actually taste the spices. 

While the description on the website mentions the drink has a blend of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, clove, nutmeg, and milk, the actual ingredients list just groups this under "chai spices," with other things like filtered water, black tea, cane sugar, natural flavors, and some other additions. Whatever the case may be, the chai latte had a stronger flavor this time around. It brought more unique tasting notes than the cappuccino, thus earning it a higher spot in the ranking. 

The Harmony Leaf green tea has the quintessential green tea taste: delicate, slightly bitter, and earthy. It's considerably more flavorful and intriguing than the other Dunkin' tea selections. Unlike the weak herbal and black teas, the green tea stands out, making it a worthwhile purchase. 

Plus, green tea has antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and can positively impact blood pressure, making it a top pick when you don't want the added sugars, milk, or high caffeine that some of the coffee drinks contain. A medium tea has 70 milligrams of caffeine compared to the 210 milligrams in a medium cup of black coffee. I'd pick the green tea over the chai latte or cappuccino when I want something with less caffeine and sugar.

The Hibiscus Kiss Herbal Infusion is a visually beautiful cup of tea, thanks to its vibrant dark red color, which helps it to stand out from the many shades of brown in the other drinks. It has a floral, slightly sweet aroma that makes you want to take a sip. 

It's more than just hibiscus, though; it also has rosehips, chicory, lemongrass, natural flavors, and licorice root. Because of these additions, it doesn't need any sweeteners or mix-ins to make it taste complete. It's fragrant, balanced, and a tad sweet on its own. The beverage is caffeine-free, which makes it a fantastic choice for an afternoon sipper. The Hibiscus Kiss tea is one of the more exciting hot drinks on the menu and wins out against the green tea because of its color, flavor, and aroma.

The Dunkin' matcha latte stands out from the rest of the hot drinks with its green foam top and earthy aroma. I was pleasantly surprised that the powdered green tea-based beverage wasn't overly sweet — at least compared to some other beverages on this list. Despite the sweetener and milk, the matcha flavor still comes through. While matcha aficionados will likely have a lot more to say about the green beverage, I found it delivered a smooth, creamy, and grassy balance. 

That said, unlike some other drinks, there's no option to adjust the sweetness. I'd opt for less sweetener if possible, as it obscured the matcha's distinct flavor. The drink is made with skim milk and Dunkin's matcha blend of cane sugar, matcha green tea, and fruit pectin. This drink was a pleasant surprise, and I would happily order it again, as it's one of the best drinks at Dunkin' that isn't coffee.

The Dunkalatte is back after it gained a cult following following its introduction in fall 2024. This espresso drink has a creamy, sweet profile thanks to the key ingredient: coffee milk, which is made by combining Dunkin's coffee extract with whole milk. Unlike other coffee and espresso drinks, you cannot customize the milk for this particular drink, which can be a drawback.

The Dunkalatte is definitely sugary, but it also has a complex, velvety flavor that makes it stand out. If you come across it on the menu, I recommend ordering it while you have the chance. It's unique and flavorful enough to purchase, regardless of its limited availability. I thoroughly enjoyed this coffee-forward beverage, and it secured the number two position among all the hot drinks.

The Caramel Craze signature hot latte greets you with the warming scent of cinnamon and a sweet caramel twist. Made with Caramel Craze flavor swirl, whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, and caramel drizzle, the drink offers layers of sweetness with a hint of that festive cinnamon. It's the best flavored latte on Dunkin's menu by a long shot.

It beautifully blends the earthy, slightly sweet profile of the spice with the caramel to create a deliciously indulgent beverage. While the Caramel Craze is considerably sweeter than I usually prefer my coffee, it makes an incredible treat. Every sip blends all the key elements — coffee, caramel, cinnamon, and creaminess from milk — to create a memorable beverage. I liked it so much that I ordered it again just a few days later, which is a true testament to its flavor. 

Dunkin' offers a surprisingly wide selection of hot coffee and tea drinks to choose from, with a range of flavors and price points to suit different tastes and budgets. I tried every hot drink on my local Dunkin' menu over three separate visits to see how they stacked up against each other. These drinks are ranked based on flavor, appearance, and cost. Taste is the most important factor in determining the rankings, but there were some cases where the look or price played a role.

Two items were taken off the menu and swapped by the time I was about to place an order. You might encounter similar scenarios at your local establishment as the company adjusts the seasonal menu. I sipped every hot drink currently available on the Dunkin' menu, but keep in mind that the offerings may change.