Do coffee drinkers prefer Dunkin' Donuts to Starbucks?

Charles Choi  |  01:24 PM, Monday, April 2, 2012

Dunkin' Donuts was once the undisputed king of fast-food coffee. Now, even though Starbucks is pricier, it is overwhelmingly more popular than Dunkin' Donuts.

Bundle's data analysis found that Starbucks beats Dunkin' Donuts on all metrics across nearly all states, proving most popular in Vermont. The only states where Dunkin' Donuts ranked higher in popularity than Starbucks were, in order, Louisiana, Kentucky, Rhode Island and Kansas.

According to Bundle, Starbucks typically cost a few dollars more per credit card transaction across all the states — as much as $5.10 more in Massachusetts. These findings hold true with the 'foodies' segment Bundle identified, i.e. those most interested in the latest food trends. In Massachusetts, foodies were willing to pay an average of $7.20 more at Starbucks than at Dunkin' Donuts.

Below are the states that most prefer Dunkin’ or Starbucks, according to Bundle:

Click here to see the top coffee shops in America

Click here to see the top coffee shops near you

But while Americans might be more likely to buy their coffee at Starbucks, they like Dunkin' Donuts better, according to 2011 analysis from Rasmussen Reports. Their phone survey found that 57 percent of coffee-drinking Americans express an at least somewhat favorable opinion of Dunkin' Donuts, including 20 percent with a very favorable view of the chain. In contrast, 49 percent of American coffee drinkers regard Starbucks at least somewhat favorably, with 14 percent who have a very favorable opinion. Thirty-four percent of coffee drinkers hold an unfavorable opinion of Starbucks, versus 22 percent who feel unfavorably about Dunkin' Donuts.

The 15 Best Starbucks in America

The 15 Best Dunkin Donuts in America

So what might explain these results? Perhaps American coffee drinkers appreciate Dunkin' Donuts’ simple, no-frills, blue-collar soul. Starbucks bills itself as a fancy, high-end specialty retailer with complex, Italian-inspired coffee drinks — care for a venti decaf light caramel macchiato with whip, anyone? As such, Starbucks may attract a clientele that is willing to get charged more for what they perceive as a gourmet experience. 

Starbucks invites customers to hang out with its cozy café atmosphere and tables where they can work or socialize. Given that Starbucks now offers free wifi, their locations attract customers who may stay for hours, perhaps racking up more of a bill over time. Dunkin' Donuts, on the other hand, is more of a fast-food experience, aimed at customers on the go. Besides, Dunkin’ Donuts’ fluorescent lighting hardly asks you to linger.

The vilification of high-carb diets among weight-conscious customers probably doesn’t help Dunkin’ Donuts, either — witness the financial troubles that Krispy Kreme experienced for years once its fad appeal wore off. Dunkin Donuts has changed its menu in recent years to "meet the evolving needs of customers," but it can't avoid the fact that "donut" is part of its name.

Perhaps Bundle found that Dunkin' Donuts is most popular in Louisiana because a few extra calories don't count as much on top of already-rich Creole cuisine, or because Louisianans very much like beignets or their kin with their coffee.

Do your coffee preferences line up with your home state? Are you a Dunkin' or Starbucks fanatic? We want to hear from you! Tweet your thoughts @BundleHQ #StarbucksvsDunkin