For many years, both the Starbucks Coffee Company (Starbucks) and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (Coffee Bean) have upheld reputations making each of them staples for those who enjoy pairing their mornings with a nice drink. That being said, Starbucks in particular, has gained an immense amount of traction in recent years. Can Coffee Bean’s flavorful menu compete with Starbucks’ popularity?
Starbucks has become a popular place for people of all ages to get morning, afternoon or nighttime coffee. With around 35,000 stores worldwide, Starbucks offers many drinks ranging from refreshers to fall drinks to food, never stopping the flow of people from entering each location.
Coffee Bean is also a very popular chain with over 1,100 stores worldwide and a vast menu including classic coffee, seasonal drinks and various types of tea. Although less popular, Coffee Bean has captured many people’s thirsty taste buds, leaving customers satisfied with every sip. With this extensive menu, it puts up quite the fight in finding the best chain coffee shop.
Seasonal Drinks
From Starbucks, I purchased the Iced Pumpkin Spiced Latte and the Pumpkin Dry Iced Americano with Half & Half from Coffee Bean. Both exceeded my expectations with a pungent pumpkin and coffee flavor and delicious spice that warms your mouth.
Tasting notes: That being said, I would have to say that Coffee Bean impressed me a bit more with a fun and different drink that I have never had before. While I absolutely loved Starbucks’, I felt it was a tad too sweet for my taste with barely any coffee taste, whereas Coffee Bean’s drink had such a delicious strong coffee flavor with hints of pumpkin that really shined through.
Winner: Coffee Bean
Iced Teas
I ordered an Iced Peach Green Tea Lemonade from Starbucks and a Tropical Passion Iced Tea from Coffee Bean. These drinks were such beautiful colors at first glance and tasting them took me through a burst of bright fruit flavors with a tangy aftertaste.
Tasting Notes: When it comes to choosing my winner, I would say Starbucks by far. Even though Coffee Bean is more known for their tea, the drink was way too bitter for me while Starbucks balanced sour fruit with a wonderful sweetness that dances in your mouth after every sip.
Winner: Starbucks
Coffees
From Starbucks, I bought a Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew and from Coffee Bean, a Vanilla Bean Latte Cold Brew. When looking at it, the rich brown color immediately compels you to take a sip. In doing so, you are greeted with this strong coffee flavor containing hints of vanilla in every sip that creates a delicious taste in your mouth.
Tasting notes: While Starbucks’ was delicious, I am going to hand this one to Coffee Bean for their drink had a perfect balance of bitterness from the coffee and sweetness from the vanilla, creating such a wonderful blend. Starbucks was almost as good, but it was no match for Coffee Bean’s cold brew.
Winner: Coffee Bean
Prices
While the drinks are important, the cost is also something major to consider. For all the drinks, I ordered a size Grande from Starbucks and a size Regular from Coffee Bean which are both their medium sizes. For the seasonal drinks, Starbucks’ was $6.25 and Coffee Bean’s was $6.75, so while Coffee Bean’s is a little more expensive, they were similar for the size. The coffee drinks have a bigger gap with Coffee Bean more pricey at $6.25, whereas Starbucks’ drink was $5.45. The biggest difference we see is the tea with Coffee Bean at a lower $3.95 in contrast to Starbucks at $4.95. Overall, there is no clear winner for some are more priced at one store and others at a different store, so for this one I’d have to call it a draw.
Winner: Tie
Overall, both coffee shops pleasantly surprised me, but I’d have to say I enjoyed my drinks from Coffee Bean due to a better balance of bitter and sweet, containing flavors that burst through in every sip. As the seasonal menus change, each of the shops compel different audiences, with new and exciting drinks to come. That being said, this was not by any means an easy decision and I feel both completely deserve the recognition that they have.
