By: Gabriela Mora
Visalia’s first Dunkin’ Donuts opened last month on February 4th. This is a first for the town because another chain is competing with Starbucks for coffee customers. For the first couple of days the lines were extremely long. This is comparable to when the Habit Burger opened to compete with In N Out. Just like with the Habit, many of the people were desperate to go because they had never tried Dunkin’ before.
Dunkin’ Donuts is from the East Coast, opening up in 1950 in Quincy, Massachusetts. Since that day, the amount of shops has gone a little over 8,500 stores in the States. Dunkin’ has coffee, and the donuts that many people love and have been for over fifty years.
On the other hand, Starbucks opened in 1971, in Pike Place Market, Seattle, Washington. The first ever Starbucks is still up and running to this day. It is a place that many tourists visit when they are in the area. Since the opening day, there are a little over 15,000 locations in the States.
Although Dunkin may have a little less, some people tend to prefer it over Starbucks. Some of the things that are different at Dunkin’ are the coffee, the flavors, the food, and of course the donuts. During Girl Scouts season, Dunkin’ has a seasonal latte that wraps around the idea of a caramel delight and a thin mint. They also have a Frozen hot chocolate and some iced cappuccinos.
At Starbucks, they have the Frappuccinos, which are not found anywhere else, they have the pink drink, and many more drinks on the secret menu. They also have a variety of pastries that seem to be a favorite, and their sandwiches. For their seasonal drink, they have the Pumpkin Spice Latte during the Fall. In the winter they have the Peppermint Mocha and in the summer they have the S’mores frappuccino.
When doing a poll, Starbucks won. With some 302 people taking the survey, 75% of them chose Starbucks while the other 25% stayed to choose with Dunkin’. Since Dunkin’ just opened, it still might be too early to tell whether it is good or not. They have donuts, they have food, and they have coffee. Along with Starbucks, they have the food, they have the pastries, and they have the coffee. Both of these places have the things people want. It’s just a matter of how they like their coffee.