Coffee Chain Prices Compared: Starbucks vs Dunkin’ vs Dutch Bros vs 7 Brew vs Scooter’s
Quick answer
- Cheapest plain coffee: Scooter’s Coffee brewed coffee for $1 at participating stores, then Dunkin’ and McDonald’s.
- Cheapest latte: McDonald’s McCafé Latte at about $3.49.
- Most expensive medium latte: Dutch Bros and 7 Brew signature drinks at about $5 to $7.
- Starbucks sits in the middle, with a grande latte at about $4.95.
Your daily coffee can cost anywhere from $1 to $7 depending on where you buy it. Here is how the biggest coffee and fast food chains compare on the drinks people order most.
Plain coffee and cold brew
| Chain | Hot brewed coffee (medium) | Iced coffee or cold brew (medium) |
|---|---|---|
| Scooter’s Coffee | $1 (Dollar Delights) | Cold Brew about $4.65 |
| Dunkin’ | About $2.49 | Iced Coffee about $2.99, Cold Brew about $3.99 |
| McDonald’s | About $1.99 | Iced Coffee about $2.99 |
| Starbucks | Pike Place grande about $3.85 | Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew grande about $5.65 |
| 7 Brew | About $3.25 | Cold Brew about $4.50 |
| Dutch Bros | Americano about $4.25 | Cold Brew about $5.25 to $5.50 |
Lattes
| Chain | Latte (medium) | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| McDonald’s | About $3.49 | About 140 |
| Dunkin’ | About $4.49 hot, $4.99 iced | About 170 |
| Starbucks | Grande about $4.95 | About 190 |
| Scooter’s Coffee | About $4.95 | About 200 |
| 7 Brew | About $4.49 to $5.75 | About 190 |
| Dutch Bros | About $5.25 to $5.75 | Varies |
Signature sweet drinks
| Chain | Drink | Medium price |
|---|---|---|
| Starbucks | Caramel Macchiato (grande) | About $5.65 |
| Scooter’s Coffee | Caramelicious | About $5.75 |
| Dutch Bros | Golden Eagle | About $5.25 |
| 7 Brew | Blondie | About $4.99 to $6.93 |
| McDonald’s | Caramel Macchiato | About $3.79 |
Which coffee chain is the best value?
- Cheapest daily coffee: Scooter’s $1 brewed coffee where offered, or McDonald’s and Dunkin’.
- Best cheap latte: McDonald’s McCafé.
- Best rewards: Starbucks, Dunkin’ and Dutch Bros, if you visit often.
- Best for sweet drinks and energy drinks: Dutch Bros and 7 Brew, which also offer free sugar-free swaps.
Ways to save on coffee
- Order plain coffee or an Americano and add your own milk.
- Join the rewards app at the chain you visit most.
- Try 7 Brew’s buy one, get one on the 7th of each month from 7 to 8 PM.
- Size down. Medium is usually the best price per ounce.
Calories in popular coffee drinks
| Drink | Calories (medium) |
|---|---|
| Brewed coffee or Americano, black | About 5 to 50 |
| Dunkin’ Iced Coffee, black | About 5 |
| McDonald’s Latte | About 140 |
| Starbucks Caffe Latte (grande) | About 190 |
| Starbucks Caramel Macchiato (grande) | About 250 |
| Scooter’s Caramelicious (medium, hot) | About 400 |
| 7 Brew Blondie (medium, iced) | About 480 |
Size names can be confusing
Starbucks calls its sizes Tall (12 oz), Grande (16 oz) and Venti (20 oz hot, 24 oz iced). Most other chains use small, medium and large, and iced drinks often come in bigger cups than hot ones. When you compare prices, compare the same number of ounces, not just the size name.
A year of coffee
If you buy one medium latte every weekday, choosing McDonald’s at about $3.49 instead of a $5.25 signature drink saves about $450 a year. Even switching two days a week to plain brewed coffee can save over $150.
Frequently asked questions
Which coffee chain is cheapest?
For plain coffee, Scooter’s Dollar Delights brewed coffee at $1 and McDonald’s and Dunkin’ coffee are the cheapest. McDonald’s also has the cheapest latte at about $3.49.
Is Starbucks more expensive than Dunkin’?
Usually yes. A Starbucks grande latte is about $4.95, while a Dunkin’ medium hot latte is about $4.49.
How much is a Dutch Bros Golden Eagle?
A medium Golden Eagle costs about $5.25.
What is the cheapest drink at 7 Brew?
Brewed coffee starts at about $2.50.
Prices are typical U.S. prices before tax and can vary by location. Menus Info is not affiliated with any restaurant mentioned. See how we check prices.
