Winner In The Battle Of The Brews: Dunkin' Donuts Beat Starbucks In Independent Nationwide Taste Test

By: Dunkin' | 1,021 Shares 197 Reads

Consumers invited to learn more at new website

October 20, 2008 // Franchising.com // Canton, Mass. -- Dunkin' Donuts or Starbucks? Americans have made their coffee choice clear. An independent taste test of coffee drinkers across ten major U.S. markets shows a significant majority of participants preferred Dunkin' Donuts coffee over Starbucks.

A&G Research, Inc., under the counsel of claims test advisor Al Ossip, conducted the taste test in May and June in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, and Starbucks' home turf, Seattle. 476 adults, each of whom had consumed regular, hot brewed coffee within the past week, participated in this double-blind taste test. For the test, A&G Research used fresh packaged coffee purchased in each brand's stores, tested each brand's most popular flavor (Dunkin' Donuts Original Blend versus Starbucks House Blend), brewed the coffee using equipment recommended by each brand and served it black.

A&G says that the study results clearly indicate a preference for Dunkin' Donuts:

Among all participants, 54.2% preferred Dunkin' Donuts coffee, compared to 39.3% who chose Starbucks. 6.3% expressed no preference.
Of those participants who did have a preference, 58% favored Dunkin' Donuts coffee, versus 42% for Starbucks.

"The results of this independent taste test underscore what our customers have always known: Dunkin' Donuts quite simply serves the best cup of coffee in the country," said Frances Allen, Brand Marketing Officer for Dunkin' Donuts. "Dunkin' Donuts' 58-year heritage in coffee is unmatched by any other chain. Keeping Americans running all day with the highest-quality coffee has always set our brand apart from competitors. It will continue to fuel our growth westward so every coffee drinker in America can experience for themselves the country's best-tasting coffee, always served fast, fresh and at an affordable price," she said.

Beginning on national television today, a new spot will depict vignettes of hard-working Americans who have taken a blind taste test during their busy daily routines. A poll-taker seeks their vote and makes a checkmark on a clipboard to illustrate the results. The spot, which was created by Hill Holiday, offers an entertaining, light-hearted approach that leaves the unmistakable message that consumers prefer Dunkin' Donuts coffee over Starbucks. The spot reminds people that America, does indeed, run on Dunkin'. The message will also be communicated on radio, in-shop and online.

For millions of people, enjoying a cup of Dunkin' Donuts coffee is a daily ritual. Dunkin' Donuts has set the industry standard for offering a superior grade of coffee, and the company sells nearly 1.5 billion cups of coffee every year. In 2008, for the second year in a row, Dunkin' Donuts ranked number one in customer loyalty in the coffee category by the Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index. According to the survey, Dunkin' Donuts was the leading brand for consistently meeting or exceeding consumer expectations.

About Dunkin' Donuts

Founded in 1950, Dunkin' Donuts is America's favorite everyday, all-day stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin' Donuts is the #1 retailer of hot and iced regular coffee-by-the-cup in America, and the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world. Dunkin' Donuts has earned the #1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for two years running. The company has more than 7,900 restaurants in 30 countries worldwide. In 2007, Dunkin' Donuts' global system-wide sales were $5.3 billion. Based in Canton, Massachusetts, Dunkin' Donuts is a subsidiary of Dunkin' Brands, Inc.

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