For as long as I can remember, America has always run on Dunkin, especially Boston considering it was founded in Quincy in 1950. Since I started drinking coffee, I have always gotten my iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts. And yes, I am one of those crazy people that drinks iced coffee in the winter because that’s just how Bostonian’s are. However, when I started my freshman year at Suffolk University, I was amazed at how many people that weren’t from the Boston area had never tried a Dunkin's coffee, much less heard of it. Most of my friends that are from out of state are big fans of Dunkin's leading competitor, Starbucks, so much so, that my university even has Starbucks coffee available in almost every one of our campus buildings. What I don’t understand is, what’s the big deal with Starbucks?

When I stepped up to the counter at a Starbucks for the first time, I was appalled at the prices. I mean really, over $4.00 for a large iced coffee? Why would anyone pay that when they can go to dunks and get a large iced for around $2.90? I also feel that more is also better. Why would I want to go to Starbucks and pay for an overpriced large iced coffee that only stands in at 20 ounces, when I can go to Dunkin Donuts and pay less and get 12 more ounces of iced coffee?

I was also surprised when I first ordered at Starbucks at the lack of flavor shot options. Personally, I have always loved coming up with different flavor shot combinations at Dunkin Donuts. I also love how they have different seasonal flavors, as it gives me something to look forward to as certain holidays approach or the seasons start to change. With Starbucks however, there was a very short list of flavor shots that could be added to your coffee, and if you did choose to add one, there was an upcharge.

After trying Starbucks for the first time, I didn’t understand what the hype was all about. My friends constantly boasted about Starbucks having the best tasting coffee, but to me, it just tasted watered down and gross. I’ve had my fair share of bad coffees from Dunks over the years, but this coffee was nothing like that.

So, I’ve decided that Starbucks isn’t for everyone, especially me. I have always run on Dunkin and will always run on Dunkin because nothing will ever compare. To me, Starbucks is just an overpriced imitation of Dunkin Donuts.