Dunkin' vs Starbucks:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Starbucks had more branded searches than Dunkin' among coffee chains in the United States. Starbucks had about 13.6 million branded searches, while Dunkin' had 10.8 million. Starbucks made up 48.1% of all coffee chain searches we track, and Dunkin' accounted for 38.3%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about coffee chains, both Dunkin' and Starbucks appeared in all three answers. Starbucks was mentioned before Dunkin' in two out of three answers.
Who do people search for more?
Starbucks, about 26% more searches than Dunkin'
Who does AI mention more?
Both are mentioned in every answer we collected.
Who does AI recommend more?
Starbucks, named ahead of Dunkin' in 2 of 3 answers
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Top coffee chains in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions, both Dunkin' and Starbucks showed up in all three answers. Starbucks was listed before Dunkin' in two of them.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Starbucks1st
Dunkin'2nd
Peet's Coffee3rd
Dutch Bros4th
Caribou Coffee5th
Tim Hortons–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Starbucks3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Dunkin'3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Dutch Bros3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Peet's Coffee3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Caribou Coffee1 of 3Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Tim Hortons0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
See every answer about coffee chains
3 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which coffee chain is best in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best coffee chains in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best US coffee chain for iced coffee?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“coffee shops”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“coffee shop”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United States on October 22, 2026.
Is Dunkin' or Starbucks more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Dunkin' and Starbucks by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six coffee chains we track, month by month, from searches in United States.
Share of searches by month for Starbucks, Dunkin'. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Starbucks | Dunkin' | Dutch Bros | Tim Hortons | Caribou Coffee | Peet's Coffee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 64.4% | 26.4% | 4.7% | 2.1% | 1.2% | 1.2% |
| Nov 2025 | 62.9% | 25.8% | 6.9% | 2.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Dec 2025 | 63.7% | 26.2% | 5.7% | 2.1% | 1.2% | 1.2% |
| Jan 2026 | 57.7% | 28.9% | 7.8% | 2.8% | 1.3% | 1.6% |
| Feb 2026 | 49.1% | 36.9% | 8.1% | 3% | 1.3% | 1.6% |
| Mar 2026 | 45.6% | 38.8% | 9.2% | 3.4% | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| Apr 2026 | 42.6% | 41.5% | 8.6% | 3.8% | 1.7% | 1.7% |
| May 2026 | 39.7% | 44.7% | 8% | 3.6% | 2% | 2% |
| Jun 2026 | 39.9% | 44.9% | 8% | 3.6% | 2% | 1.6% |
| Jul 2026 | 39.9% | 44.9% | 8% | 3.6% | 2% | 1.6% |
| Aug 2026 | 43.3% | 42.1% | 7.1% | 3.9% | 1.8% | 1.8% |
| Sep 2026 | 48.1% | 38.3% | 6.5% | 3.5% | 1.9% | 1.6% |
How has the Dunkin' and Starbucks comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 2 times in the 12 months ending September 2026: Dunkin' took it in May 2026, Starbucks took it in August 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Dunkin'’s share of searches among coffee chains in the United States moved from 26.4% to 38.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 12.5M to 10.8M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Starbucks’ share of searches among coffee chains in the United States moved from 64.4% to 48.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 30.4M to 13.6M.
How did search popularity change for United States coffee chains in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Starbucks gained share of searches among coffee chains in the United States, from 43.3% to 48.1%.
In September 2026, Dunkin' lost share of searches among coffee chains in the United States, from 42.1% to 38.3%.
How are branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Dunkin'’s and Starbucks’ names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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