Exclusive
Battle of the brews
I compared America’s most popular coffee chains so you don’t have to & my usual go-to DIDN’T get the top spot
ON just about every corner in a typical American city, you can find a coffee shop, but of course, not every coffee is made equal.
Some people are avid Starbucks drinkers, while others may run solely on Dunkin'.
8
8
As a daily coffee drinker myself, I prefer to make my cup of joe at home just to save some cash.
But when I'm in the mood to splurge, there's nothing better than an iced latte from Starbucks, especially on a hot day.
Although there are over stores across the U.S., it isn't the only coffee chain Americans love.
To find out what is the best coffee in America, I taste-tested iced lattes from five popular chains.
Below, you'll find my rankings based on taste, smell, and price.
DUNKIN'
8
Price: $4.19/medium
Taste: Extremely milky with very little coffee flavor
Smell: light, nutty smell
Most read in Fabulous
All-round score: 3/5
"America runs on Dunkin,'" so of course, it had to be part of my taste test.
In the past, Dunkin' has been another go-to coffee shop for when I need a quick pick-me-up on the cheap, so I was excited to revisit it.
However, I was a bit shocked when I saw the milky white color of my iced latte.
Sure enough, the latte was very heavy on the milk and light on the espresso, but nonetheless, I enjoyed it anyway.
Despite lots of milk, the drink didn't sit heavy in my stomach and it was surprisingly enjoyable.
Plus, the reasonable price and large portion give Dunkin' extra points in my book.
PRET A MANGER
8
Price: $4.49/regular
Taste: Strong coffee flavor, bit on the bitter side
Smell: Musty, bitter
All-round score: 3/5
I'm a huge fan of Pret a Manger's food, so I thought it was finally time to check out their coffee.
At first taste, I thought Pret's iced latte tasted delicious with a bold coffee flavor.
It had a tiny bit less milk than I personally like but still tasted great nonetheless.
I have to mention, though, that after about 20 minutes, I took another sip and the latte suddenly had a strange aftertaste that I couldn't shake.
BLUE BOTTLE
8
Price: $6/regular
Taste: Indulgent, perfect coffee to milk ratio, creamy
Smell: Delectable, small note of cocoa
All-round score: 4.5/5
Before moving to New York City, I had never heard of Blue Bottle, but the coffee chain is quickly expanding to major cities across the U.S., and several of my friends swear it's the best.
I was particularly eager to try Blue Bottle's iced latte after entering their aesthetically-pleasing cafe, and boy was I not disappointed.
The iced latte almost tasted like a treat with its creamy texture and rich flavor.
I also thought it was perfectly balanced between espresso and milk without either one overpowering the other.
Blue Bottle's ice latte was also the most expensive at over $6 with tax, not to mention it had the smallest portion size.
This was certainly my favorite drink, but I couldn't give it full points because of its steep price.
STARBUCKS
8
Price: $5.45/grande
Taste: Bold, great blend of coffee and milk
Smell: Lovely, strong coffee aroma
All-round score: 4/5
For most people, Starbucks is likely the first brand that comes to mind when it comes to coffee chains.
After taste-testing their iced latte for myself, it's not hard to see why it's considered the go-to coffee shop for many.
Starbucks' iced latte was a great blend of milk and strong espresso.
The coffee flavor was strong without being bitter like others I've tried.
Starbucks also had a higher quality taste compared to some of the other ice lattes.
Overall, Starbucks ranks pretty high on my list thanks to its amazing flavor and reasonable price point.
7-ELEVEN
8
Price: $2.69/medium
Taste: Old, overpowering coffee taste
Smell: Bitter, unpleasant cardboard-like smell
All-round score: 2/5
Back when I was a broke college student, 7-Eleven was my go-to for my morning coffee.
It was the cheapest coffee around, plus I loved the wide array of syrups available and was able to switch my flavors up throughout the week.
This time around, though, I was not impressed with the bitter coffee taste.
The coffee also tasted like it had been sitting out all day, and the old taste overpowered the little milk the latte had.
Overall, I thought the flavor of 7-Eleven's ice latte was not great, but I would drink it again for the price alone.
THE FINAL VERDICT
After tasting all five iced lattes, Blue Bottle and Starbucks came out on top.
Blue Bottle had such a rich, delectable flavor, I actually kept drinking the rest after I finished testing the others.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Read More On The Sun
But because of Blue Bottle's price, Starbucks comes in as a close second for me.
Starbucks' iced latte was delicious, more affordable, and overall a great drink.
8
Topics