Iced peppermint mocha latte from Starbucks (Hepokoski/LION).

As the holiday season approaches, many like to indulge in a seasonal drink from their favorite coffee shop. A popular drink during the holidays is the iced peppermint mocha latte. There is an ongoing debate whether Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts is better, so we decided to see for ourselves which store has the better peppermint mocha drink. Ultimately, we decided that we preferred the Dunkin’ drink.

The Starbucks Iced Peppermint Mocha Latte ($6.49) was very good. When we first got the drink, it looked very neat. There was whipped cream and small chocolate shaving on top which looked very appealing. We were excited to try it. There was a strong peppermint taste which was appreciated because some drinks lack the peppermint flavor. However, the chocolate tasted more on the dark side rather than the milk side which we both were not a big fan of. The whipped cream and chocolate shavings added more flavor which was enjoyable. Overall, the drink was not as sweet as we thought it would be but it was still delicious. 

The Dunkin’ iced peppermint mocha latte ($5.21) was delicious. It was creamy and very chocolatey. When the drink was first presented to us, it looked very appetizing. Whipped cream doused in chocolate sauce and powder was filled to the brim. Upon the first sip, we noticed the strong chocolate flavoring. We immediately were very satisfied with the flavor. Although we enjoyed the flavor of the drink, we weren’t able to taste the peppermint as much which was slightly disappointing because we expected there to be a more even balance between the chocolate and peppermint flavors. Another minor let down was with the presentation of the drink. Although it appeared to be very palatable, it wasn’t the prettiest. Overall, we were very delighted by this drink.

Although the Starbucks drink was more visually appealing and had a stronger peppermint flavor, we decided we liked the overall taste of the Dunkin’ drink better because it was sweeter and more satisfying. Also when comparing the prices, we liked how the Dunkin’ drink cost slightly less. We got the Grande size from Starbucks and the small size from Dunkin’, which both ended up containing around the same amount of beverage.

 We would definitely recommend both drinks, however if you are looking for a more sweet and less costly drink that will get you in the mood for the holidays, we think that Dunkin’ is the better option.