On Your Side: Coffee Taste Test|ABC 7 News

text size: A | A | A

On Your Side: Coffee Taste Test

posted 5:50 pm Wed February 28, 2007 -

tags: on your side • ross mclaughlin • coffee taste test

-WJLA Script-

Please Upgrade To Flash!

ABC 7 News - On Your Side: Coffee Taste Test

related stories:

Anchor:
A FEUD IS BREWING BETWEEN TWO OF THE NATION'S LARGEST COFFEE HOUSES. DUNKIN DONUTS IS TAKING A RUN AT STARBUCKS FOR A BIGGER SHARE OF THE JAVA MARKET... BUT JUST WHO'S GOING TO WIN THIS BATTLE?

7 ON YOUR SIDE HAS BEEN LIVE ALL DAY PUTTING THEM TO THE TEST.

ROSS MCLAUGHLIN IS HERE WITH THE LATEST ON THE TASTE TEST.

Ross McLaughlin:
WITH 8 OUT 10 AMERICANS DRINKING COFFEE IT'S NO WONDER DUNKIN DONUTS IS PLANNING TO TRIPLE THE NUMBER OF ITS U.S. STORES OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS BUT CAN IT UNSEAT STARBUCKS? THE REAL TEST IS IN THE TASTE. WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR TWO DAYS...USING REGULAR DRIP COFFEE FROM STARBUCKS AND DUNKIN DONUTS.

(LIVE TASTE)

...HOLD THAT THOUGHT WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS IN A MINUTE.

Story: DUNKIN DONUT'S.

Christopher Mellgren: "Nothing's better than coffee and a donut in the morning."

STARBUCKS.

Carter Bentzel: "Let's talk about coffee"

LET'S..

Ross:"We've got coffee and it's hot."

Taster:"So which one's the best huh?"

EXACTLY. THE COFFEE WAR IS ON.

Taster:I don't like this one

Ross:"You don't?"

Taster:"It's too bitter."

Taster:"This is richer but it's more acidity."

TWO DIFFERENT COFFEES..TWO DIFFERENT COMPANIES

Carter Bentzel:"Starbucks is about an experience."

STARBUCKS HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1971..IT'S APPROCHING 9 THOUSAND STORES WORLDWIDE (8,836) AND HAS NAILED THE GOURMET COFFEE MARKET. UNTIL NOW..

Ross:"That's your competitor there huh?"

Christopher Mellgren: "One of them absolutely."

DUNKIN DONUTS HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1950..HAS 7 THOUSAND LOCATIONS WORLDWIDE AND NOW OFFERS GOURMET COFFEE BUT WITH A DIFFERENT APPROACH.

Christopher Mellgren:"We're all about getting people in and out getting them on their day." BUT ASK ANYONE, IT COMES DOWN TO THIS..THE COFFEE..WHO HAS THE BETTER BREW?

Taster:"Smacking lips"

Taster:"Smacking lips."

EVERYONE HAS A METHOD.

Ross:"You're swirling and sniffing."

Taster:"Not bad"

AND EVERYONE HAS A PREFERENCE.

Taster:"This one."

Taster:"This one."

Ross:"Dunkin Donuts."

Taster:" Okay"

Ross:"Starbucks."

Taster: "Oh wow"

Ross:"Well that is Starbucks."

Taster:"That is Starbucks?"

Ross:"You drink Dunkin Donuts coffee normally?"

Taster:"I do this day."

Part 2:

Anchor: ITS STARBUCKS VERSUS DUNKIN DONUTS!

THE COFFEE WARS ARE HEATING UP IN THE D.C. METRO AREA... SO WE DECIDED TO PUT THEM TO THE TEST.

7 ON YOUR SIDE HAS BEEN CONDUCTING A TASTE TEST ALL DAY.

ROSS MCLAUGHLIN JOINS US NOW LIVE WITH THE RESULTS.

ROSS - WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?

Ross McLaughlin: "Our blind taste test involved more than 300 people and when we added up the totals, it came down to this:"

54% percent favored Donkin Donuts 46% favored Starbucks

Some of the comments:

Starbucks:"This is more bitter and burnt tasting"

"This is fuller bodied"

"I like a stronger coffee"

Dunkin Donuts:

"This is watery tasting."

"I like this better it has a fuller flavor."

"This is smoother."

Overall we found that those who preferred Starbucks liked a stronger tasting coffee. Those who didn’t drink much coffee or didn’t normally drink coffee at all preferred Dunkin Donuts.

You need to be a registered member of
ABC 7 News to leave comments on news stories.

Not a member yet? Click Here to sign up.

Please leave your comments below:

Messages that harass, abuse or threaten other members; have obscene or otherwise objectionable content; have spam, commercial or advertising content or inappropriate links may be removed and may result in the loss of your posting privileges. Please do not post any private information unless you want it to be available publicly. Never assume that you are completely anonymous and cannot be identified by your posts.

The 'RUNNING MAN' icon is a registered trademark of America Online, Inc.