Most students need some sort of energizer like coffee to get them through long school days. We set out to find which coffee brand is the most favored amongst GA students.
Throughout the school day, students and faculty need a way to recharge their batteries. Some students may use a free period to take a power nap or watch a show, while others drink coffee as a way to cure their fatigue. This may be why so many members of the GA community carry some type of caffeinated beverage to get them through the day. The brand of coffee can vary amongst different preferences of different age groups, but which one is the best? To answer this, we followed the trends of the four most popular coffee brands located around Fort Washington: Wawa, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, and Abyss Coffee.
We sent out a poll to the Upper School to hear their opinions and received 77 responses. Starbucks was in first place, winning 47.4 percent of votes. Many students explained that the retail company supplies a variety of non-coffee options, including frappuccinos, teas, and other foods such as bagels, snacks, and breakfast sandwiches. Having both good coffee and good food contributes to Starbucks’ appeal to GA students. In our opinion, we think Starbucks displays a lot more options, and goes beyond the average coffee shop, even more than Dunkin.
By surveying the student body, we came to a consensus on Dunkin’s ranking. Students in the pavilion agreed that Dunkin’s coffee tends to be a “hit or miss”–the coffee can either be amazing or the complete opposite. However, the group concurred that taking the risk at Dunkin is worth it and provides a fun experience because you never know what you’re going to get. Other opinions about Dunkin’s coffee varied, but most agreed that they give a lot of options to their customers; including frozen coffee and other refreshing beverages. The Upper School poll confirmed that Dunkin is the second most popular place to buy coffee, with 28.9 percent of the votes.
Wawa came in third with 14.5 percent of votes, and Abyss came in last with 9.2 percent. Personally, our favorite part about Wawa is that you can customize the coffee quickly and easily. Although Wawa has some great coffee, it is definitely more known for its great variety of food options. If this were a competition for food, we believe Wawa would win easily. Starbucks and Wawa have always been favorites, but recently we found trying drinks from local businesses is a fun pastime; Abyss offers a new experience. Despite its low ranking, Abyss has amazing, well-made coffee along with friendly employees.
Overall, each business has great coffee, but it seems to be a matter of distance that matters to GA students. Abyss’ ranking may be low because it is 9 minutes from campus. Based on convenience, Starbucks may have come in first because of its proximity to campus. If this is the case, then why not Wawa, which is the closest? This inconsistency may answer our question regarding quality of product and service: Starbucks has the best coffee and food which is why people are willing to travel further than Wawa.
Regardless of where you prefer to buy your coffee, no coffee lovers can deny that coffee plays a very important role in regaining energy throughout the day.
Editor’s note: Abyss coffee in Ambler is temporarily closed.