Have you had your cup of coffee today? Here’s a coffee-related personal finance secret:
I realized that if I did my budgeting over my morning cup of coffee I could use the addiction “for the powers of good”. Mind sharp, start of the day — a great time to check the virtual checkbook and make sure nothing had gone forgotten from the budget the day before. This habit has helped me quite a bit.
Coffee consumption can be a budget buster, as described in this Money Confession.
Ever wondered how your coffee consumptions stacks up with other Geezeo users? Here’s a peek:
Last month, the average money spent at Dunkin’ Donuts was $5.92. That was up from an average of $5.21. By contrast, Starbucks coffee consumption fell from $6.09 average per user to $5.54. Starbucks: what’s happening? I thought your bird-safe, shade-grown coffee was best.
What do you think? Is there a reason Starbucks is falling?
March 27th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Re: Is there a reason Starbucks is falling?
Advertising works. Plain and simple. Dunkin Donuts advertises like crazy and even uses celebrities in their spots. Starbucks doesn’t. And it’s starting to show.
For the record, I just drink the free stuff at work. ;0)
March 27th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
I save money by brewing my own Dunkin Donuts coffee every morning then proceed to buy at least two more “retail” coffees over the course of the day. But that’s changing…we now brew in the office. We’ll see.
March 27th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
I have a Flavia machine at home and at work. 20 coffee or tea packets run you about $8 (plus shipping), so I’m looking at roughly $1 a cup with sugar and half & half expenses.
March 27th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Luckily, my work provides decent coffee and I’m able to keep a steady caffeine high for free. Some of my colleagues still walk across the street to the Starbucks and actually pay for coffee… suckers!!!
March 27th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
I thought the “death” part was what happens to you if you choose to drink either of these two mass producers of fast food coffee…
March 27th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
The majority of my coffee consumption is brewed at home — usually Starbucks but lately I’ve been trying Dunkin’ Donuts. A 1lb bag costs about $10, lasts just over a week.
With coffee jitters I’ve started drinking mate (about the same price), but, sometimes you just crave the taste of coffee…!
March 28th, 2008 at 8:53 am
I wish my company provided a Flavia machine at the office, how nice would THAT be??
March 28th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Oh and by the way, Starbucks is the suck!
March 29th, 2008 at 11:49 pm
so… today when i drove by and saw a GINORMOUS cup of coffee person and donut person repping DD on the street in Dallas… it made me want to go to my favorite starbucks. all i can think of is that guy with the black hair saying “Time to make the donuts”… hmmmm
March 31st, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Commoditization. Is the answer that hard?
April 11th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
I go to Boston University…so the school is dominated by Starbucks! BUT, if I had a choice I would definately choose Dunkin’ Donuts over Starbucks any day. I would say that Starbucks is usually better for specialty drinks, but Dunks is better for an everyday just regular coffee!
April 15th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Kind of late but I have to add my two cents, or 4 bucks to be more accurate. I work directly between a DD’s and a Sbux. I go to DD’s for Boston Kreme donuts and Sbux for the Chai lattes. I love America!
April 26th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
I agree with the last two. Krispy Kreme came to Boston. They had good donuts, coffee I found the best so far at DD, agree that Starbucks has great specialty drinks. Sometimes make my own just recently for work, getting too much expense on an every day basis, trying to limit to twice a week buying out.
April 27th, 2008 at 1:10 am
I will go for Dunkin Donuts anytime. Its cheaper and frankly, better tasting donuts and coffee. Just for the sake of comparison, try the hot chocolate of starbucks against dunkin donuts hot chocolate, and the winner… DUNKIN DONUTS!!! Starbucks has premium prices for what?? Right now, they have no unique selling position. Who cares about “experience” when I just need a cup of coffee and go. At least DD does not try to pretend to be any different such proclaiming to have a “connection” with their customers through their baristas. What connection?? Starbucks is going down and its not because of recession, its not because of experience and its not because of connection to their customers ,but simply because they failed to innovate on their products and service channels. With or without recession, Starbucks is bound to fail. Have you ever seen any changes in their products over the years? And by the way, we are already in the world of combining bricks and mortar with on-line and I guessed Starbucks missed that part too.
April 29th, 2008 at 1:03 am
The Dunkin Donuts franchises in the greater Boston area have been regularly increasing their prices to the point that Starbucks is actually cheaper for regular coffee! $2.23 for a large coffee at DD’s versus $2.12 for a “Venti” coffee at Starbucks. It pays to shop around…
April 30th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
When it comes to just regular coffee Dunkin Donuts is by far better than Starbucks, however, those expensive Starbucks espressos are very good. Just wish we had more Dunkin Donuts in Indiana so that I could spend less on a good coffee rather than buying those expensive espressos.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:08 am
Dunkin Donuts attracts the average folks and farmers would feel comfortable going there – that doesn’t include millions of police officers that frequent the joint and chuck more coffee for a long night than you and I can consume for weeks. Starbucks has the “shiek” factor or the “fufu” factor that college kids as well as young entrepreneur likes. Their fancy drinks should continue to do well, but for the ambiance, they can’t shooo people away to make room for the next customers. I still like Starbucks coffee over all others – not sure why it’s so addicting. I can’t see spending a lot of money to sit in a diner/donut looking joint when I can settle into a comfortable couch at Starbucks. Starbucks just need to alter its trend a little. People likes their donuts with coffee. Sell all products that go well with coffee and they will bring in more customers. Wi-fi connection, electrical outlets, small tables, large screen TV’s newspapers and magazines, all goes well with coffee. If the ambiance feels like your upscale living room, you will want to spend more time there.
May 6th, 2008 at 12:32 am
So…. I think that dunkin’ donuts has the “retro” factor going for it. Every thing old is new again. And while the baby boomers grew loving and knowing the greatness of dunkin donuts coffee, the new regime like to “look back” to the past for inspiration. it’s almost comical, how much this happens.
that’s why i think there has been a shift.
however, starbucks rules at creating environment. they provide a place to meet, to interview, to talk… i just started a company based on this premise.. i have coffee every morning at a starbucks in texas… http://www.seeyouatcoffee.ning.com
we like our candy coffees and various choices… we don’t want to absorb one week’s worth of fat grams with one bold donut shaped pastry!
May 8th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Let me start on this note, I am from the new england area and you see about 1 DD every block….. why cause we love it! However I have family who works for DD so I get it when ever I want how much I want for free…..and its freaking great. Why do I choose DD though for one simple fact Starbucks would not support the war when it started unlike all are other coffee suppliers. That really is quite terrible for them to be so damn selfish. Second there is only one thing I would buy at SB and thats a Strawberry Frap, but DD is stepping up on there game with special drinks…coolata’s mmmmmmmmmmm mouth watering in the summer. However I moved to missouri to where I cant find a DD so this whole thing blows on my end. Ill just keep having my family mail me the free stuff….:(
May 9th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
PRICES! Need we say more? With gas prices the way they are now we cant afford to pay 5+ bucks for a cup of coffee as opposed to 1.50.
Starbucks is great if you like the taste of tar!
May 9th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
i like to use my coffee time for building business. i’m in the middle of building a network through coffee connections in my local coffee shop… please join me online for coffee.
http://www.seeyouatcoffee.ning.com
June 21st, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Prices. Umm I would say DD is less expensive but I would take Starbucks anyday. DD has a strong taste that I just can not tolerate. It is a preference and we will pay for what want.
July 5th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
My opinion is that Dunkin is far superior. Starbucks just had a snowball effect, it did seem chic with the CD’s and the couches and the Wifi. But the coffee sucks and they opened way too many stores and now they’re closing 600 stores and laying off 12,000 people! Crispy Creme too, thought they could compete with Dunkin but, let’s face it, nobody can beat the flavor, aroma and good feeling you get when you walk in a Dunkin, smell that smooth coffee brewing and all those yummy donuts right out of the oven!
July 21st, 2008 at 10:46 pm
I don’t Drink coffee. So I don’t really care.
August 4th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
In New England we just want a coffee w/ milk. We want it to be called “coffe w/ milk”. Puhlease Starbucks- we feel goofy saying Misto or Latte…..we are in USA not Europe! Also, when we order small….don’t insist that we call your small a “tall”. We all know what we’re talking about a small. Finally, DD is soooo much cheaper!
August 31st, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Dunkin Donut all the way. Its smooth going down, with the kick you need to keep you going all day, or till that next great DD cup off coffee. They offer more to Glazed Cruller can’t be beat specially just slightly under cooked. that real soft just baked feel, with that sugar glaze…. bye gatta go. DD’s calling me now.
Thanks Dawn
August 31st, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Starbucks has that strong can’t handle taste.Its like drinking brake fluid to me. Not that I ever had on purpose, but I have had to bleed the brakes and got splat right in the face. And let me tell you Star Bucks too strong, too thick. Not coffee at all. Dunkin donut smooth flavorful. great taste. I was raise up north where at first there was NO SB, so I only new DD, SB is more expensive, and a thicker horrible taste. Maybe because I am not a coffe drinker. So when I do choose to have a cup it has to be smooth and mellow, and thats DD. I really can enjoy their coffee. I also can afford it more. Everything does go up though. I miss the .50 cup of coffee.
bye Dawn
September 19th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Perhaps the drop in the popularity of Starbucks is the realisation that the coffee they sell is not very good. I would rather take my dose of caffeine from Caffe Nero or Costa than Starbucks any day
September 24th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
DD hot coffee is awful but their breakfast sandwiches, donuts, iced coffee kills SB. Starbucks drip coffees are much better. Price only becomes a factor if you drink three big cups a day or you like their lattes and specialty drinks. In the end, you should buy Peets, Starbucks or DD at the market, grind it and press it. Best cup of coffee you’ll ever have.
September 26th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
StarBucks changed its offering for coffee. Previously, you could get a mild blend, a bold blend and in some stores, a medium blend (or two bold blends and one mild.) They changed to one blend which reduced the choice to the consumer, and many consumers seem to prefer milder coffee versions (contrary to their market research.) Some of their blends are bitter. If you ask people on the street in main street America, most of them prefer the milder blend of a Dunkin Donuts to the stronger blends typically brewed at Starbucks. This was a recent change. They should have offered consumers free tastings, maybe have coffee tasting nights; more choice for snacks and desserts, offering more healthful options.
October 3rd, 2008 at 6:38 pm
SBUX + the return of Howard Shultz + European growth + commodity prices going down + US economy turn to the upside + 37 years in the business = Domination of Dunkin Doughnuts.
Price doesn’t matter. Taste doesn’t matter. If it did, SBUX would have gone out of business a long time ago. SBUX got off track with their business model. They’ll be back. It’s just a matter of time
In addition (from a brand perspective):
SBUX owns the word “coffee” in the mind of the consumer.
DD owns the word “doughnut” in the mind of the consumer.
Period. Amen.
November 4th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Why have coffee, yuppies and stale pastries when you can have coffee, Joe the plumber and Co. with the air thick with the scent of sugary fat-laden deliciousness. As the economy struggles people will cling to comfort food. Check out the increase in booze stocks. The donut makes a comeback. Hiya!
November 12th, 2008 at 12:09 am
Dunkin Donuts sells more than coffee. Without knowing how much of this money is spent on coffee and how much on donuts, it's hard to say that Starbucks is falling. People may be trading down in their breakfast habits. Dunkin Donuts is also engaging in a lot more advertising, which should increase their revenues per customer, but at what cost?