“Yankees or Mets? Red or Blue? Giants or Jets?” These are just some examples of “this or that” questions one may ask a Verona High School student, from which the answer comes surely, yet unexplainable. However, if you ask someone to explain why he or she prefers one type of coffee over another, the list of “why” can go on and on.

Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts? To some, coffee is just coffee and they don’t really care where it comes from, but to others it’s a pretty big deal. When asked why senior Sam Garrison loves her Starbucks coffee, she explained, because “it is actual coffee.” She then went on to say that she doesn’t like Dunkin Donuts coffee because “it isn’t real coffee, it’s just ‘coffee’ flavored water.” VHS Art teacher Terry Sherman had the same opinion; she loves the strong taste of regular Starbucks coffee. Like Mrs. Sherman, there are many people who really enjoy the strong satisfying taste of Starbucks coffee. Additionally, many people prefer Starbucks because of its specialty drinks.

Starbucks offers different flavors during different seasons. Autumn’s biggest hit is the Pumpkin Spiced Latte, also known as a “PSL.” Walk into a Starbucks at any given time in the fall and it is almost guaranteed that you will hear someone order a “Grande Pumpkin Spiced Latte.” Students at VHS said that they like Starbucks better, but only because of their specialty drinks like a PSL or a Frappuccino that is not offered at one of the seven Dunkin Donuts one may find in a three mile radius of his or her home.

When asked, many people said they preferred Dunkin Donuts over Starbucks mainly because they don’t know what to order at Starbucks. They like the simplicity of ordering a medium iced coffee by saying “may I get a medium iced coffee light and sweet” instead of learning the special “Starbucks language” when trying to order a drink. Many also seemed to prefer Dunkin Donuts because of the prices and the taste of its coffee not being as strong.

While there are people who strictly go to Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts for their coffee, there are people who don’t necessarily have a preference. “I like my hot drinks from Dunkin but I like my cold drinks from Starbucks,” says VHS senior Chloe Strippoli, who enjoys both Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. “If I’m getting plain coffee I like to get it from Dunkin Donuts but if I’m in the mood for a latte I’d rather go to Starbucks,” says VHS teacher Mrs. Ramos.

People also base their choices off of the “class issue” between the two companies. Starbucks is seen as a “snobby” place to grab coffee, while Dunkin Donuts may be seen as the place an “average Joe” would go to get his coffee. The class issue aside, people will still have their preferences for their own reasons whether it’s because they like the drinks better at one place, or because they know what to order at the other. Now what do you prefer, Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts?