By Rona Ortiz |Staff Writer|
While many are enamored with Starbucks and its customizable drink offerings, many budget conscious students think it’s just too pricey.
College students comprise 40 percent of daily coffee drinkers, but the numbers are dropping.
“Among those ages 18 to 24, 41 percent said they drank coffee daily, down from 50 percent in 2012. Young adults also greatly reduced their daily intake of non-gourmet traditional coffee, dropping to 17 percent from 27 percent last year,” according to a study conducted by the National Coffee Association.
Many students are on a budget and want alternatives to the popular coffee chain.
McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts and convenience stores are lining up to challenge the current reigning coffee champion. Not only are they offering comparable drinks, they’re a lot cheaper.
“I go to the Starbucks on campus sometimes, but often the lines are too long,” said Ashley Patterson who was holding a cappuccino from AM PM. “It’s convenient and it’s cheaper.”
AM PM offers a 16oz. iced latte for $1.89 compared to Starbuck’s “tall” which rings up at $3.65.
McDonald’s is aggressively going after the specialty drink market as well.
They currently offer an 18oz. coffee and specialty drink options at a fraction of the price of its high-priced competitor.
“The fast food chain is slowly moving toward becoming more like a coffee shop, selling breakfast pastries and expanding its morning menu,” according to Business Insider.
The very popular frappuccino at Starbucks costs about $4.60 for 24oz.
McDonalds offers their version at $3.39.
“I prefer to buy my tea and hot chocolate at McDonald’s, it’s less expensive than Starbucks,” said Shontrice Coleman. “I went to the Starbucks here on campus a lot last year,” she added.
Costs can add up quickly.
This is especially true for those needing a daily fix.
Another alternative is brewing your own coffee.
“I prefer to make my own coffee at home,” said Julie Grande. “I used to go to Starbucks everyday, but it’s just too expensive.”
Coffee brewed at home is the most cost-effective option.
[pullquote]I prefer to buy my tea and hot chocolate at McDonald’s, it’s less expensive than Starbucks[/pullquote]
With coffee averaging about $8.99 a pound, it costs about 45 cents for a twelve ounce cup.
If you’re not up to making your own coffee and prefer the flavor of Starbucks but won’t pay the high price- there is Seattle’s Best.
Many already know that Seattle’s Best is owned by Starbucks but they don’t know where to find it.
Burger King and Subway carry the coffee giant’s lesser known brand.
“A great line of coffee is the foundation of a great breakfast,” said Eric Hirschhorn, vice president of innovation at Burger King.
The chain spent nearly a year developing the new line with partner Seattle’s Best, which is owned by Starbucks.
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