On college campuses, coffee isn’t just a drink, it’s a daily ritual. At Bentley, we have three major coffee chains on campus: Dunkin’, Starbucks, and Einstein Bros. Bagels.
In a recent survey of more than 900 students, 45.8% of respondents voted Dunkin’ coffee their favorite. Einstein was second at 36.1%, followed by Starbucks at 18.1%.
Dunkin’ positions itself as the most traditional and familiar option. Since Bentley is located in Massachusetts and has a lot of students from New England, there could be a bit of a bias here compared to the other chains. Marketing-wise, the Dunkin’ on campus is a standalone location on campus inside the Student Center, so it mirrors the experience of going to a Dunkin’ location off campus.
Its marketing emphasizes convenience, variety and affordability, although its $3.95 medium iced coffee is slightly more expensive than competitors’ offerings. Dunkin’ is also the only coffee shop on campus that does not accept Falcon discretionary dollars.
The campus Starbucks Express operates as a licensed store rather than a full corporate location, meaning it lacks some features of a
regular Starbucks, most notably access to the Starbucks app. Instead, students order through Grubhub. Besides that, it still has a similar feel as going to an off-campus Starbucks.
Its marketing leans heavily on brand identity and lifestyle appeal, focusing primarily on drinks and the experience of carrying a recognizable Starbucks cup.
While Dunkin’ and Starbucks have a very similar approach to coffee, Einstein Bros. Bagels does things differently. This store is more focused on the food rather than the drinks. As a full Einstein’s location, it offers a more extensive menu, appealing to students looking for meals rather than just caffeine. Like Starbucks, it allows the use of discretionary dollars and relies on Grubhub for ordering.
Its marketing emphasizes value and practicality by positioning itself as a place to grab breakfast or lunch alongside a drink. Bentley’s Einstein location also has tables and chairs where people can sit and enjoy their food, talk with friends, or study; this allows for a more social and friendly atmosphere.
Even though everyone is different and we all have our preferences, especially when it comes to what a good cup of coffee is, the marketing of these stores shouldn’t be underestimated. Marketing is what sets brands apart.