The competition—between Dunkin’ and Starbucks, as well as with chains like McDonald’s—is heating up just as the economy is slowing down. And that could very well tilt the advantage to Dunkin’ Donuts.
While the article says the battle is for “switchers” – those who go to Starbucks when they feel well-off and Dunkin’ when broke – I think it’s more than that.
McDonald’s uses Newman’s organic fair trade coffee, and multiple taste tests have shown people prefer it to Starbucks. Here in Connecticut, where Dunkin’ is omnipresent (seriously!) local tests have shown the same, people prefer it to Starbucks.
As one who buys green coffee beans and roasts them at home, I think Starbucks coffee is overpriced, overrated, and over roasted. They deliberately nearly burn their beans when roasting to give it a strong taste. But this kills the taste of the bean, what you then taste is the roast alone. McDonald’s and Dunkin’ don’t do this. Thus, you taste the actual flavor of that particular coffee. Which is as it should be.