Since its founding in 1971, Starbucks has garnered a widespread group of loyal customers. From refreshers to matcha to plain black coffee, it seems their menu has something for everyone. 

However, it seems in recent years they’ve gained a formidable opponent: 7 Brew. 7 Brew was founded in 2017, and since its franchising in 2023, it has grown to over 700 locations across 38 states. 

Their vast menu offers over 20,000 customizations of drinks such as smoothies, cold brews, milkshakes, lattes and lemonades. By the sound of it, Starbucks has found itself a tough competitor. To find out if this was true, I asked the students of Etown: Starbucks or 7 Brew?

Starbucks’s 46-year head start has certainly hurt 7 Brew’s chance at winning. Some students I polled weren’t at all familiar with 7 Brew because it’s so new.

“I’ve never had 7 Brew, so I’d pick Starbucks,” said Zach Takacs, a first-year business major.

He wasn’t the only one with this answer.

“I’d have to say Starbucks because I’ve never been to 7 Brew,” An Tran, a third-year biology pre-med major, said.

Clearly unfamiliarity has put 7 Brew at a disadvantage. But for people that have tried it, 7 Brew has left a good impression.

Some students are particularly impressed with the vast opportunities for beverage customizations that their menu offers.

“I prefer 7 Brew because you can make your own combinations,” said Riley Bickert, a first-year communications major.

Others took cost into consideration.

“I’d pick 7 Brew because it’s cheaper,” said Leah Nason, a first-year communications major.

It seems that many of those who have tried 7 Brew prefer it over Starbucks, but not everyone is ready to turn their back on the company they’ve been loyal to for most of their lives.

Some students have a signature order from Starbucks that can’t be beaten by another coffee shop.

“I prefer Starbucks because I like their matcha,” said Catie Sones, a first-year legal studies major.

Other students have a certain nostalgia associated with going to Starbucks.

“I prefer Starbucks,” said Charlie Bishop, a first-year secondary English education major. “I’m not a coffee drinker, and Starbucks offers drinks which don’t contain coffee. Also, Starbucks holds a lot of memories for me of hanging out with friends since it was a walkable distance from my high school.”

Starbucks also provides a cozy and hospitable environment that sets it apart from 7 Brew, which only has drive-thru locations. This fact won over some students.

“I personally like Starbucks better,” said Hailey Spenard, a first-year occupational therapy major. “I’m not a coffee drinker, but I feel like I like the vibes of Starbucks better. They have more of a friendly environment, and you could study there.”

7 Brew also doesn’t offer food, which puts it at a disadvantage.

“If you don’t like coffee, they can make you sweets and sandwiches,” Spenard said.

As someone who worked at Starbucks for over a year, I definitely used to be partial to their drinks. However, after trying 7 Brew recently, I can say their menu and the quality of their drinks definitely won me over. Seriously, their Key Lime Pie Lemon Freeze is one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.

Altogether, it seems students are split on which company is superior. While Starbucks has a comforting and nostalgic quality for customers and a diverse menu that appeals to many different people, they most certainly have a competition in 7 Brew, who will continue to win over customers as they expand to more locations and more people drive in to taste their drinks.