Starbucks Pike Place (grande) has the most caffeine of the three: 310mg per 16 oz grande, against 210mg per 14 oz medium for Dunkin hot coffee (medium) and 95mg per 8 oz cup for brewed coffee. It also leads per ounce, at roughly 19.4mg to 11.9mg, so the order holds whichever way you count.
Dunkin hot coffee (medium) vs Starbucks Pike Place (grande) vs brewed coffee: the numbers
| Dunkin hot coffee (medium) | Starbucks Pike Place (grande) | brewed coffee | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caffeine per serving | 210mg per 14 oz medium | 310mg per 16 oz grande | 95mg per 8 oz cup |
| Caffeine per fl oz | 15mg | 19.4mg | 11.9mg |
| Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) | 1.9 | 1.3 | 4.2 |
Sources: Dunkin hot coffee (medium) is 210mg per 14 oz medium per Caffeine Informer (source), and the figure is carried in our Dunkin hot coffee (medium) guide; Starbucks Pike Place (grande) is 310mg per 16 oz grande per Caffeine Informer (source), and the figure is carried in our the caffeine database; brewed coffee is 95mg per 8 oz cup per USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy 171890, 40mg per 100g times 237g (source), and the figure is carried in our the caffeine database.
Per can or per ounce: pick the number that matches how you drink
The serving sizes here are different, so the two rankings answer different questions. Per serving tells you what one purchase delivers. Per fluid ounce tells you how concentrated each sip is, which is what matters if you nurse a large one slowly or split a can. Starbucks Pike Place (grande) is the densest of the three at about 19.4mg per ounce; brewed coffee is the lightest at 11.9mg.
The three head-to-head pages
Each pairing has its own page with the full math:
- Dunkin hot coffee (medium) vs Starbucks Pike Place (grande), head to head
- Dunkin hot coffee (medium) vs brewed coffee, head to head
- Starbucks Pike Place (grande) vs brewed coffee, head to head
Which one should you pick?
Take brewed coffee when you want the smallest dose of the three, Dunkin hot coffee (medium) when you want a middle number without thinking about it, and Starbucks Pike Place (grande) when you actually want the 310mg and know how you handle it. If you drink more than one caffeinated thing a day, the useful move is adding the day up against the 400mg reference rather than judging each drink alone.
For context, the FDA cites 400mg of caffeine a day as an amount generally not associated with negative effects in healthy adults. Tolerance and health vary, so treat these numbers as information, not advice.
Related reading
- The verified caffeine database
- Every drink compared: the comparisons index
- Compare any two of 120+ drinks
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Gear from this guide
FAQ
Which has the most caffeine, Dunkin hot coffee (medium), Starbucks Pike Place (grande) or brewed coffee? Starbucks Pike Place (grande), at 310mg per 16 oz grande. Dunkin hot coffee (medium) has 210mg per 14 oz medium and brewed coffee has 95mg per 8 oz cup.
Which of the three is strongest per ounce? Starbucks Pike Place (grande), at about 19.4mg per fluid ounce, ahead of Dunkin hot coffee (medium) at 15mg and brewed coffee at 11.9mg.
How many Starbucks Pike Place (grande) servings reach the FDA 400mg reference? About 1.3 of them, at 16 oz grande each. The FDA cites 400mg a day as an amount generally not associated with negative effects in healthy adults. This is information, not advice.
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