Starbucks vs. Peet’s: which coffee tastes better?

Though more than 80% of adults love coffee, some are always shifting from one coffee house to the other in search of the best beverages. I have never been a morning person since waking up is one of the things that I dread. However, the thought of a tasty cup of coffee in the morning compels me to wake up.

Since I value coffee that tastes great, I have been researching coffee houses. I created this post to share everything I learned about Starbucks and Peet’s. Read on to learn how they differ.

What are the differences between Peet’s Vs. Starbucks?

Features	Peet’s	Starbucks
Ambience	Comfortable seating Bright lighting	Library-like ambience Warm lighting, comfortable sitting, a nice aroma, cool music, and wall art
Location	200 locations in 11 states	Over 33,000 stores in more than 80 countries
Menu	It offers numerous drinks but fewer food items	Has a comprehensive menu that includes more food items
Price Range	Has affordable items	It is more expensive
Beverage sizes	Between 12 and 20 ounces	Between 8 and 31 ounces
Environmental consciousness	It reuses and recycles products	It has the Grounds for Your Garden scheme.

Peet’s Vs. Starbucks – How they compare.

Ambience

Peet’s is not only focused on selling you good coffee but also on providing you with a nice ambience that you can enjoy. It makes you feel at home as you get your favorite drink. Most of its stores have large windows that promote light penetration and offer a lot of comfortable indoor seating.

On the other hand, Starbucks stores have a library-like ambiance. They feature a warm glow of the lighting and earthly colors that offer a great contrast to the lighting and wooden walls. Since these stores are quite welcoming, most customers are not in a hurry to leave. Most Starbucks stores are also decorated with organic-looking art and have some sweet music. They have casual couches and are often characterized by the warm aroma of drinks.

Since both Peet’s and Starbucks have a nice ambience, they draw in this category.

Location

Though Peet’s has quality coffee, it is not as big as Starbucks. As of 2021, this company had 200 locations in 11 states. It operates in areas like California, Virginia, Washington DC, and Illinois. Peet’s was forced to shut down in regions such as Michigan and Ohio to pay more attention to the areas where it was experiencing more growth.

On the other hand, Starbucks is an international company that is quite famous. This coffee house has over 33,000 locations in 84 countries. Since it operates in over six continents, it is hard to miss a Starbucks store in most places.

Starbucks, therefore, wins in this category since it has more locations than Peet’s.

Menu

Peet’s appeals to the tastes of different customers since it offers a long list of items that you can pick from. Each Peet’s store has products like cold brew, latte, cappuccinos, macchiato, espresso, and teas. This company also puts more emphasis on teas compared to Starbucks. Though Peet’s has a wide range of drinks, it offers limited food items. You can grab some grab-and-go meals as well as baked items from a Peet’s store.

On the other hand, Starbucks has a comprehensive menu that you cannot exhaust. It focuses more on coffee drinks than tea. Some of the items you can buy from Starbucks include refreshers, iced coffee, espresso, lattes, frappuccinos, and smoothies.

Compared to Peet’s, Starbucks has a wider selection of food items. Since this company acquired a bakery chain in San Francisco, it started offering more food items like pastries, sandwiches, and sweets. You can even buy prepackaged meals at Starbucks during your lunch break.

Starbucks, therefore, wins since it offers more items on its menu than Peet’s.

Price Range

Though both Peet’s and Starbucks have a lot to offer, Peet’s can help you save more cash since it has more affordable items. For instance, the cost of caramel macchiato in an 18-ounce cup at Peet’s costs $3.80. If you order the same drink in a 12-ounce cup, you will be charged $3.95.

This means that you have to pay more for the drink even when you are getting it in less quantity.

If, for instance, you order an iced lemon cake at Starbucks, you will be charged $2.45. On the other hand, Citrus bread at Peet’s will cost you $2.35.

Peet’s, therefore, wins since it has more cost-effective products compared to Starbucks.

Beverage Sizes

Starbucks stands out among most coffee houses, including Peet’s, since it has unique names for its beverage sizes. This company offers sizes such as grande, trenta, venti, short and tall. The biggest cup is a trenta which is 31 fl oz, while the smallest cup is short, which is 8 ounces.

While Starbucks offers five cup sizes that you can pick from, Peet’s has only three cup sizes. These include small, which is 12 fl oz, medium, which is 16 fl oz, and large, which is 20 fl oz. You cannot order drinks in a 31-ounce cup if you choose Peet’s.

Starbucks, therefore, wins in this category since it has more beverage sizes.

Environmental Consciousness

In 1995, Starbucks started the Grounds for Your Garden scheme, allowing its customers to choose leftover coffee grounds. This scheme is aimed at minimizing the waste that Starbucks stores produce. On the other hand, Peet’s is also committed to recycling products and reusing most of its plant waste. This company recycles lots of products like beans, cups, and bags.

Since both companies are environmentally friendly, they draw in this category.

Peet’s Vs. Starbucks – A Comparison Overview

Peet’s Overview

Alfred Peet, an immigrant from Holland, established Peet’s in 1966 in California. Alfred was raised by a father that operated a coffee bean grinder, and he, therefore, got trained to grind and roast coffee from a young age. When he grew up, he worked for coffee importers for many years.

His desire to expose coffee lovers to better-tasting coffee compelled him to establish his first store in Berkley. This founder introduced the dark roast Arabica coffee to the US. The company continued growing over the years and is now considered among the giant coffee houses in the US. JAB Holding Company now owns this company.

In 2007, this company opened a LEED roastery in the US. As of 2021, Peet’s had over 200 locations in the US. Its coffee is sold in more than 14,000 grocery stores in the US. This company has also managed to employ thousands of employees to work in different locations. Peet’s offers coffee beverages, beans, teas, and even food items. Did you know that Alfred Peet was the one that inspired Starbucks owners to establish their first shop? If not, well, now you do.

Starbucks Overview

Starbucks needs no introduction since it is the largest coffee chain in America. Though Starbucks started out as a single store in Seattle in 1971, it has experienced significant growth and is now a global company. When Alfred Peet established Peet’s coffee, he made drinks using dark roasted coffee beans. Three friends, Zev Siegl, Gordon Bowker, and Jerry Baldwin, took note of this, and it inspired them to open their own store.

After seeing Peet’s success, they aimed to sell high-quality coffee beans through their newly established store, Starbucks. By 1980, Starbucks had four stores in Seattle. The founders decided to sell the company to Howard Schultz, who converted it from a coffee bean store into a coffee shop.

Since then, Starbucks has been selling all kinds of drinks such as espresso, lattes, teas, lattes, frappuccinos, cappuccinos, and mochas. This company also specializes in selling instant coffee, whole bean coffee snacks, and pastries. While some of the items are available throughout, some are seasonal.

Today, Starbucks has over 33,000 stores in 80 countries. More than 15,000 Starbucks stores are found in the US. Research shows that there is a cup of Starbucks being sold somewhere every minute.

Final Verdict: So, Which is Better? – Peet’s Vs. Starbucks

Starbucks is better than Peet’s. This is because it offers more products, has more locations, and offers more beverage sizes. Peet’s, however, puts up a good fight since it has more affordable items and many teas you can try out. Though the competition is stiff, Starbucks still conquers since it has a lot of positives. You may have to spend more on Starbucks, but you are assured of getting high-quality coffee every time. The convenience that comes with having numerous stores almost everywhere also gives this coffee house an edge over Peet’s. I therefore choose Starbucks as the clear winner.

FAQ SECTION

Is Peet’s more popular than Starbucks?

No. Starbucks is more popular than Peet’s since it operates globally. Peet’s is not that widespread.

Which came first, Peet’s or Starbucks?

Peet’s came first since it was established in 1966, while Starbucks was founded in 1971.

Is coffee from Peet’s stronger than Starbucks’ coffee?

No Starbucks coffee is stronger than Peet’s since most of its drinks come with higher caffeine content.