Tasters' Choice

For a cup of coffee, your choices run from small, family-run shops to new kid on the block Krispy Kreme. But Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks are waging the biggest war for your tastebuds. Last fall, Dunkin' Donuts introduced a line of lattes and cappuccinos; in press re- leases, the doughnut giant fired a not-so-subtle shot at Starbucks, saying it was offering "freedom from espresso oppression and the tyranny of long waits, high prices, and confusing sizes." We asked two shop loyalists to mull over their differences: Honey Williams of Arlington, a teller at Citizens Bank in Winchester, pledges allegiance to the Dunkin' Donuts/Togo's sandwich shop near her office. Moe Shephard of Winchester, director of a software company, prefers the Starbucks next door.

SHEPHARD I'm not sure how I became customer-of-the-month at Starbucks [last fall], but they had my picture on the counter, and all my friends said, "When is this month going to be over so we can get rid of that ugly mug?" I said, "Yeah, but they gave me 10,000 free cups of coffee." The guy behind the counter quickly said, "No, we didn't."

WILLIAMS Well, sometimes I do get free coffee at Dunkin' Donuts. Like if I go in there at 4 p.m. on a Thursday -- that's the day we all work late -- the owner says, "I'll treat you ladies to a cup of coffee today." I think Dunkin' Donuts workers are more attuned to their customers. Every single morning, it's the same pleasant people, and it's hard to start work at 6 in the morning and have to deal with people who are often rude. At Starbucks, they wait on you, and that's about it.

SHEPHARD They don't have as much turnover at Dunkin' Donuts. At Starbucks, you have this tremendous turnover, even in store managers. We regulars laugh about it -- "Oh, we have to train another store manager," we say. But I've gotten to know everybody who's ever worked there. Everyone talks to you. There's a group of buddies I meet every morning to talk about the affairs of the world.

WILLIAMS I just don't like Starbucks coffee. It tastes burnt. Dunkin' Donuts coffee has a nice taste. And I find Starbucks very expensive. I might go in for a mocha latte in the afternoon, and I'd say, "What kind of pick-me-up is that? It's too expensive."

SHEPHARD It is expensive. But I like strong coffee, and after all these years, I just can't stand anything less than the amount of caffeine in Starbucks coffee. I'm convinced they've been adding to it year after year. They'd probably have to put sand in my coffee to drive me out. I also have a croissant every morning, and it's as close to a real one as you can get in the United States. So I go for the coffee, the croissant, and my pals. And no one hassles you. You can stay as long as you want. It is a place that encourages community building of some sort. I've met people in there that I'm friends with now whom I never would have met otherwise. It's not the same kind of atmosphere at Dunkin' Donuts. You don't want to spend any time there. You want to go in, get your stuff, and leave.

WILLIAMS I didn't want to bring this up, but Starbucks is considered more elite. People sit in there because of the nice chairs and the music and the ambience and to be seen through the window. It really is a kind of class thing. Starbucks is more upscale. The yuppies like it, people who want to impress somebody. If I was going to meet a business customer, I'd meet them in Starbucks. But if I'm just meeting a buddy, I meet them in Dunkin' Donuts. I do agree that Starbucks pastries are out of this world. If I'm having a really bad afternoon, I'll run to Dunkin' Donuts and get my coffee and then to Starbucks for a piece of lemon poundcake, because it's so wonderful. But I wear a hat and glasses when I go in there.

SHEPHARD There are actually several populations at this Starbucks. There's the early guys like me, who buy a paper, get a coffee, and then talk about the affairs of the world and baseball. At 9 o'clock, the mothers with children come in, and after lunch, it's the kids from the high school.

WILLIAMS When I was growing up in Cambridge, it was the same deal at the Dunkin' Donuts in Porter Square. The same people met there to talk every day. People want to go back to the five-and-dime, and maybe there's a little bit of that with Dunkin' Donuts. And you know the product is going to be the same. Even when I'm in Aruba, I'll go to a Dunkin' Donuts.

SHEPHARD Same with Starbucks. I was just in Columbus, Ohio, and I couldn't find a New York Times. So I found a Starbucks, because I knew there would be a Times there.

WILLIAMS Starbucks fills his and his friends' needs; Dunkin' Donuts fills my and my friends' needs.

SHEPHARD I've never really spent much time in Dunkin' Donuts.

WILLIAMS You're coming in to have a cup of coffee with me, my friend.

SHEPHARD I'll do it.

This is an edited transcript