To hear that Dunkin Donuts would be replacing one of Hofstras coveted Starbucks locations initially shocked me, as Im sure it did most of you. As a coffee enthusiast, I was interested and also confused. Changing a Starbucks to a Dunkin’ at a college? It almost sounds, unprogressive? But after some consideration, I realized that we caffeine addicts here at Hofstra are indeed receiving a blessing from the coffee gods.
Think about it:
A medium coffee at Dunkin costs $1.89. A medium (grande) coffee at Starbucks is $2.10. As a broke college student who occasionally picks up dimes off the floor to help pay for her gas this is making a huge difference. Bank account? Blessed.
Also, at Dunkin, the breakfast food options are undeniably better. Granted, the menu is not considered primarily healthy or vegan-friendly in the way Starbucks is, but they actually do have a few conscious and vegetarian friendly breakfast options. And those options are more appealing than any sat-on looking sandwich Starbucks is serving up. Dunkin has bagels, muffins, croissants, bacon/sausage egg and cheese and (hello) doughnuts. And munchkins! Belly? Blessed.
And, my penultimate point: The drinks are actually so much better at Dunkin! Starting with the coffee.
In an article called DUNKIN DONUTS COFFEE IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN STARBUCKS ITS STUPID, Steve Gazibara wrote, As I type this, I am sitting in a Starbucks the coffee tastes like someone microwaved an old Chevy tire, then mixed it with burnt hair, and served it to me in liquid form. Another article from theworldofcaffeine.com, called Burned Beans The Shame of Starbucks focuses on the fact that Consumer Reports magazine actually consistently rates Starbucks brew as some of the worst tasting coffee and Dunkins among some of the best. In a blind taste test study, Consumer Reports magazine actually ranked both Dunkin Donuts Brew and McDonalds brew above Starbucks brew, which they reported as strong, but burnt and bitter enough to make your eyes water instead of open. My point here is, anyone who really drinks coffee, and has taken time to compare the two, knows this. And yeah, we dont always want to admit it. Because sometimes Starbucks Blonde espresso really does feel like its worth the $5 and change Im willing to scrap together to pay for it (like, actually in couches and pockets for change). But the truth is, I know I can get a large coffee at Dunkin for $2.10 that is going do the same exact thing and also (honestly) probably taste better.
Bringing me to my final point, (its really important that you hear me all the way out with this one) and thats the cups. I know that plastic foam is bad for the environment. Cutting down on plastic foam and toxic waste is incredibly important to the earth and our well-being, especially today. But if theres anything out in the cold cruel world with a reasonably good excuse for using plastic foam: it is piping hot drinks that you occasionally run with in your hands (i.e. coffee/hot caffeinated beverages). I love mother earth, and I recycle the heck out of all my plastic and paper products. But when Im grabbing coffee in the quad as I rush in to my next class, my hands (and books and sleeves) are 100 percent grateful for that super-tight seal, and thick warm cup that doesnt hurt to hold, or get messy when Im running. The Odyssey said it best: America doesnt run on Starbucks. And I guess Hofstra doesnt have to either!
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