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10 Worst Drinks At Dunkin' Donuts & 10 To Buy Instead


10 Worst Drinks At Dunkin' Donuts & 10 To Buy Instead


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Dunkin Donuts is an American staple known for delectable pastries and energizing cups of coffee. However, not all their drinks are made equally. In fact, fans are pretty torn between their offerings and have strong opinions about the selection of lattes, coffees, and refreshers on the menu. Of course, personal tastes vary, but here are 10 of the least and most liked drinks on the menu.

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1. Original Blend

Dunkin’s Original Blend Medium Roast is what you may consider the standard. It’s one of the weaker options on the menu, tasting watery and mild. This is the kind of coffee you’d get at a diner, that isn’t particularly strong or robust in flavor.

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2. Cool Mint Herbal Infusion

Dunkin’s teas, which come in pyramid sachets, are always brewed too hot to drink immediately. To get your tea down you need to wait for it to cool. Dunkin’s Cool Mint Herbal Infusion is watery and extremely weak, and has a very mild peppermint flavor.

clear glass mug on brown wooden tableMinku Kang on Unsplash

3. Chocolate-Covered Raspberry Hot Chocolate

Dunkin's version is a big disappointment. The mix of raspberry and chocolate doesn't produce a full, satisfying combination, but instead results in a weird mess. It's a mystery how two classic, popular flavors could combine to taste so bad.

a pile of raspberriesLiliya Kontanistova on Unsplash

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4. Americano

The Dunkin’ Donuts Americano, which is espresso and hot water with two shots of espresso, is an unpleasantly bitter and harsh beverage. It’s one of the rare Dunkin’ Donuts beverages that neither milk nor sweeteners can improve upon. Reviews for both hot and iced Americanos at Dunkin’ Donuts have called out an especially strong bitterness.

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5. Peach Passion Fruit Refresher

Despite its colorful exterior, this refresher has a lot going wrong for it. The taste comes across as medicinal, and the aftertaste doesn’t save it any points either. It might be more appealing to a younger crowd.

red and yellow round fruit on brown wooden tableMichael Kucharski on Unsplash

6. Oreo Hot Chocolate

As bad as it looks, it actually tastes a little better. Though the overwhelmingly artificial sweet aftertaste makes it a far less pleasant drink than it ought to be. In fact, it’s the rare drink that actually tastes better than it smells, but still.

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7. Bold Breakfast Black Tea

Dunkin's Bold Breakfast black tea is anything but bold. The tea is weak and one-dimensional. Dunkin should add "light" to the front of the Bold Breakfast description. You might find yourself adding a second bag of tea to this cup, but that doubles the cost for an already lackluster tea.

a blue teapot sitting on top of a tableKier in Sight Archives on Unsplash

8. Dunkin Cocoa Mocha

The Dunkin Cocoa Mocha is a signature latte that has a strong cocoa flavor but is extremely sweet. It is disappointing because it also has a very weak coffee flavor, and some people have said that they did not receive a full serving of the drink. Overall, it is a creamy hot chocolate with just a hint of coffee.

white ceramic cup with saucer on white tableKitera Dent on Unsplash

9. Dunkin Midnight

Dunkin's Midnight Dark Roast Arabica coffee is a decent step up from the Original Blend. It has a more complex aroma, with just a hint of cocoa. The flavor is bold and full-bodied, yet still smooth and easy to drink. This coffee is also much less bitter than many of Dunkin's espresso drinks.

a group of people standing outside of a store at nightKyle Berryman on Unsplash

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10. Iced Coffee with Butter Pecan Swirl

Dunkin's Iced Coffee with Butter Pecan Swirl certainly tries, and is just average at best. The nuttiness and sweetness from the butter pecan flavor fall short of replicating the signature ice cream flavor. Most would prefer to enjoy some actual butter pecan ice cream instead.

Now that we’ve talked about some of the disappointing drinks on the menu, here are 10 you can’t go wrong with!

File:Butter pecan caramel ice cream.jpgkochtopf on Wikimedia

1. Caramel Craze Signature Hot Latte

The Caramel Craze is Dunkin’s signature hot latte. The cinnamon smell lures you in, and the caramel flavor doesn’t disappoint. It is a beautiful combination of caramel swirl, whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, and caramel drizzle.

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2. Matcha Latte

The Dunkin’ Matcha Latte is notable for its bright green foam top and the unique earthy scent. Unlike many of the other menu items, it is not overpoweringly sweet. The matcha flavor is still present in the latte even with the addition of milk and sweetener.

green and white floral cup on white ceramic saucerAlana Harris on Unsplash

3. Dunkalatte

This ultra-creamy and sweet drink was released for the first time in fall 2024 and since then has developed a cult following. Unlike other espresso drinks, this beverage is made with coffee milk. A mixture of Dunkin’s proprietary coffee extract and whole milk, this ingredient is part of the reason people love the Dunkalatte.

clear drinking glass with espressoBilly Kwok on Unsplash

4. Iced Mocha Swirl Latte

The Iced Mocha Swirl Latte tastes more like chocolate milk than a coffee beverage. It has a very weak coffee flavor that will probably let down coffee lovers, but will satisfy anyone who wants to indulge in an old-fashioned sweet drink. It is not too strong on caffeine, but it does not have the creaminess of a real latte.

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5. Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte

Dunkin's Pumpkin Spice Latte is a tame version of the seasonal standard, and a good example of how pumpkin flavor just isn't as prevalent as one would think in most pumpkin spice lattes. Dunkin's is not as bad in this regard as some, but it still features much less pumpkin than you'd expect in a pumpkin spice. As such, it will work for those who don't like overly-spiced drinks.

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6. Hibiscus Kiss Herbal Infusion

A Hibiscus Kiss Herbal Infusion is a dark red colored brew, with a floral, somewhat sweet scent. The taste, though, is one giant mix of hibiscus, rosehips, chicory, lemongrass, and licorice root. While it may be good, some people may not care for it so much because the flavor is muddy, and doesn't have a clean, sweet finish.

red hibiscus flowerRobert Thiemann on Unsplash

7. Peanut Butter Cup Swirl Iced Coffee

The Peanut Butter Cup Swirl Iced Coffee packs a surprise upon first glance. Its bright orange color might make you think it's a Thai iced tea masquerading as a coffee drink. Fortunately, the aroma of this frosty treat sets you straight, emitting a peanut butter/coffee aroma that sets the stage for a flavor mashup.

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8. Harmony Leaf Green Tea

The Harmony Leaf Green Tea tastes like a traditional green tea. It has a light and slightly bitter, earthy flavor that is not too overwhelming. It’s a really good traditional, simple, and well-balanced green tea.

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9. Iced Chai Latte

The Dunkin' iced chai is pleasantly sweet but still delivers on spice without being over the top, making it a great version of the classic chai latte. If you like a little more kick with your chai, ordering it "dirty" with an added shot of espresso will give you a deeper, less sweet flavor profile. The resulting custom blend is a good mix of big, spiced flavor and rich coffee flavor.

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10. Cold Brew

Fans rave about the ultra-smooth taste of Dunkin's cold brew, which is made by steeping the coffee beans in cold water for 12 hours. This slow-brewing process extracts a full, mellow flavor unlike your typical iced coffee. The cold brew is potent enough to be enjoyed without milk or sugar, but it can be modified to your liking.

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