Starbucks' Bitter Brew | A Cup of Competition | 3

Business Wars

Wondery

History, Business, David Brown, Management

4.6 • 13.2K Ratings

🗓️ 15 May 2025

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Starbucks might be number one in market share, but the competition over coffee is hot. In one corner, you’ve got the New England-based fan favorite Dunkin, with their no-frills vibe and celebrity boosters. In the other, you’ve got the up-and-comers: drive-through only chains like Dutch Bros and Seven Brew that have become popular among younger consumers and on-the-go customers. Comedian (and lifelong Dunkin fan) Josh Gondelman joins David to talk about the reign of Dunkin in Massachusetts and beyond. Later, Sam Oches of Nation’s Restaurant News joins David to shed some light on the newer drive-through brands and whether they can outshine Starbucks and Dunkin.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Wondery Plus subscribers can binge all episodes of Business Wars Starbucks Bitter Brew early and ad-free right now.
0:07.9	Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.
0:11.6	Hey, everyone, I wanted to let you know that at the end of today's episode, I'm going to share our remembrance of our beloved producer Kieran Lowe, who recently passed away.
0:20.3	Karen was with business wars from the beginning, and we're dedicating today's episode to her.
0:25.1	I hope you'll stick around.
0:30.0	I'm David Brown, and this is Business Wars.
0:59.2	Thank you. I'm David Brown and this is Business Ward. Starbucks is grappling with an identity crisis.
1:04.0	Are they fast food, a cozy cafe, a gourmet coffee roaster?
1:05.8	Sometimes it's hard to tell.
1:10.6	And while they figure it out, consumers are filling their cups elsewhere. The Massachusetts-based
1:12.7	fast food chain Duncan has positioned itself as a cheaper no-frills option for those wanting a
1:17.5	quick caffeine fix, and perhaps a sweet treat, too. Its market share is still smaller than Starbucks,
1:24.0	which has nearly 70% more stores in the U.S., but Duncan's loyal fans and star-studded Super Bowl ads have helped make it an ongoing part of the zeitgeist, that's for sure.
1:34.2	As Matt Damon and Tom Brady don't have the heart of a champion?
1:36.5	We got a new squad, Dunkin's sequel.
1:39.1	Afflex and Belichick.
1:40.3	Dunkin's!
1:41.3	But there's another section of the coffee market that's been quietly growing over the past
1:45.0	few decades, talking about drive-through only chains, which have become some of the hottest spots in town.
1:51.0	Companies like Dutch bros and Seven Brew have been expanding rapidly. They're serving elaborate,
1:56.8	creative, and quite sweet coffee concoctions, and Gen Z can't seem to get enough.
2:03.4	Sam Ocas is the editor-in-chief at Nation's Restaurant News, where he also hosts the podcast
	...

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