As the “most wonderful time of the year” rolls back around, so do the cravings for a festive drink. From Starbucks’ Gingerbread Chai to Dunkin’s newest refresher, limited-edition drinks headline the menus of the biggest coffee chains. But this holiday season, the question isn’t which type of drink to try; it’s who does it better. We put three drinks from each chain head-to-head to test who has the superior holiday menu.
Each drink’s final score will be revealed at the end of each round. Round one is the Iced Peppermint Mocha Matchup, where we tried both chains’ classic Peppermint Mocha Lattes. Round two is The Chai Battle, where we tested Starbucks and Dunkin’s seasonal chai flavors. Round three is The Sugar Sip Showdown, which tests a third fun and anticipatedly popular drink from the chains’ holiday menus.
Round 1: The Iced Peppermint Mocha Matchup
Starbucks: Peppermint Mocha
What it is: Starbucks’ signature espresso combined with 2% milk, sweet mocha sauce, and peppermint syrup
Maddy’s Take: Starbucks’ Peppermint Mocha will always be a classic in my book. It tastes like the holiday season in a cup with rich and balanced flavors of both peppermint and chocolate, and an amazingly creamy texture in addition to the smooth espresso.
Rating: 4.5/5
Arin’s Take: The Starbucks Peppermint Mocha was okay. I would not reach for it myself because of the overpowering taste of peppermint. It was not the worst because the peppermint was hiding the bitterness of the coffee.
Rating: 2/5
Dunkin’: Peppermint Mocha Signature Latte
What it is: Dunkin’s rich espresso pairs with minty peppermint mocha syrup, topped with whipped cream, mocha drizzle, and cocoa powder
Maddy’s Take: As a huge fan of peppermint mocha in general, I didn’t think this was bad at all. However, I felt like the peppermint didn’t come through as much as Starbucks’ did, and I couldn’t taste the espresso as much — it was more like chocolate milk.
Rating: 3/5
Arin’s Take: The peppermint on this drink was less overpowering than the Starbucks. It tasted a bit sweeter too. Again, I would not reach for this drink because of the peppermint.
Rating: 2.2/5
Overall, Starbucks wins this round with an average rating of 3.25 out of five, beating Dunkin’s average of 2.6 out of five.
Round 2: The Chai Battle
Starbucks: Iced Gingerbread Chai
What it is: Chai mixed with 2% milk and ice topped with a non-dairy gingerbread, cold foam, and pumpkin spice
Maddy’s Take: As someone who only drinks chai in the fall, specifically the pumpkin chai, this variation was disappointing. I prefer the pumpkin chai because it has pumpkin syrup mixed in, not just flavor in the cold foam, so this drink feels like a step down. The gingerbread flavor barely comes through; the pumpkin spice on top is really the only taste that stands out.
Rating: 3/5
Arin’s Take: I am more of a chai girl than coffee, but Starbucks’ Iced Gingerbread Chai really disappointed me. I couldn’t taste any gingerbread and the cold foam is just vanilla cream cold foam. There is nothing that stands out about this drink, especially during the winter time. Like Maddy said, I also prefer the pumpkin chai.
Rating: 3/5
Dunkin: Cookie Butter Oat Iced Chai Latte
What it is: Chai mixed with oatmilk infused with cookie butter syrup
Maddy’s Take: I am not a fan of Dunkin’s cookie butter syrup in general, but in the chai, I didn’t think it was as bad. The chai doesn’t really taste like chai, however, and the flavor of the syrup overpowers whatever was there.
Rating: 2/5
Arin’s Take: The Dunkin Cookie Butter Oat Iced Chai Latte was the bitterest chai I have ever tasted. In my opinion, it was very bitter and the chai flavor was very subtle. I do like this drink better than the peppermint ones, but I would not reach for it again.
Rating: 2.7/5
Overall, Starbucks wins round 2 with an overall rating of 3 out of five, beating Dunkin’s average rating of 2.35 out of five.
Round 3: Sugar Sip Showdown
Starbucks: Iced Sugar Cookie Latte
What it is: Two shots of blonde espresso combined with sugar cookie flavored syrup and 2% milk, topped with festive green and red sprinkles
Maddy’s Take: This is one of the best holiday drinks in my opinion, especially if you pair it with sugar cookie cold foam. I like the smoothness of the blonde espresso paired with the sweet sugar cookie flavor shining through. The only reason I would deduct from the point total is because I feel like this is not a very wintery flavor.
Rating: 4.5/5
Arin’s Take: The Iced Sugar Cookie latte was very smooth and sweet, which I enjoyed. It was not too bitter and would be one of the only coffees I would get again.
Rating: 4/5
Dunkin: Berry Sangria Refresher
What it is: A bright, berry-flavored refresher that can be served with your choice of green tea, black tea, lemonade, sparkling water, or oat milk
Maddy’s Take: This refresher was easily one of my favorite Dunkin’ refresher flavors of all time. The berry flavor was almost like fruit punch, and I felt like it was the perfect balance of sweet and tart. I would definitely recommend giving this a try.
Rating 5/5
Arin’s Take: This was my favorite drink out of all of the drinks that we tried. It had a strong berry flavor and the green tea complemented the drink really well. It had a hint of sourness that didn’t overpower the drink too much. It reminded me of the Starbucks Raspberry Syrup, which I really enjoyed. I would get this drink again.
Rating: 4.5/5
Overall, Dunkin is the winner of Round 3, with an average rating of 4.75 out of five, beating Starbucks’ average of 4.25 out of five.
The Final Verdict
Starbucks and Dunkin’ landed neck-and-neck in our rankings, but Starbucks edged ahead to claim the title of best holiday menu. The top drink of the season? Dunkin’s Berry Sangria Refresher, followed closely by Starbucks’ Sugar Cookie Latte and Iced Peppermint Mocha. With so many festive options on both menus, this season is the perfect time to branch out and try something new.
