Which coffee chain has the most caffeine?
Starbucks, Dunkin', Tim Hortons, Peet's and more, compared by caffeine. See which coffee chain is strongest and how your order stacks up.
The single strongest standard cup is a Venti Starbucks Blonde Roast brewed coffee (~475 mg). For brewed coffee overall, Starbucks runs highest, with Caribou and Peet's close behind. Dunkin' and Tim Hortons lead on iced coffee. Lattes are closer everywhere because they're built on shots, not brew volume. Here's how 11 chains compare.
Brewed coffee compared (medium size, mind the ounces)
Striped bars marked "est." are estimates, not official chain figures.
| Chain | Size | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| Starbucks Blonde Roast | Grande 16 oz | 360 mg |
| Starbucks Pike Place | Grande 16 oz | 310 mg |
| Caribou | Medium 16 oz | 305 mg |
| Peet's | Medium 16 oz | 267 mg |
| Costa (filter) | Medio | ~256 mg |
| Dutch Bros (drip) | Medium 24 oz | ~225 mg |
| Dunkin' | Medium 14 oz | 210 mg |
| Tim Hortons | Medium 14 oz | 205 mg |
| 7-Eleven | Medium 16 oz | ~190 mg |
| Panera | Regular 16 oz | 189 mg |
| McDonald's | Medium 16 oz | 145 mg |
Latte compared (medium, closer across chains since it's shot-based)
| Chain | Size | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| Costa | Medio | ~200 mg |
| Caribou | Medium 16 oz | ~180 mg |
| Dutch Bros | Medium 24 oz | ~172 mg |
| Dunkin' | Medium 14 oz | 166 mg |
| Starbucks | Grande 16 oz | 150 mg |
| 7 Brew | Medium 24 oz | ~150 mg |
| McDonald's | Medium 16 oz | 142 mg |
| Peet's | Medium 16 oz | 140 mg |
| Tim Hortons | Medium 14 oz | 135 mg |
| Panera | Regular 16 oz | 126 mg |
Iced coffee and cold brew
Iced coffee and cold brew swing more by chain than hot coffee does, so here are the medium sizes side by side.
| Chain | Size | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| Dunkin' | Medium | ~297 mg |
| Caribou (Cold Press) | Medium | ~230 mg |
| McDonald's | Medium | ~200 mg |
| Starbucks | Grande 16 oz | ~165 mg |
| Tim Hortons | Medium | ~125 mg |
| Chain | Size | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| Dunkin' | Medium | ~260 mg |
| Dutch Bros | Medium | ~210 mg (est.) |
| Costa | Medium | ~210 mg |
| Starbucks | Grande 16 oz | ~205 mg |
Cold brew is not automatically stronger than iced coffee; it depends on the chain and the steep. A large Dunkin' iced coffee still tops the iced list at about 396 mg. See how much caffeine is in cold brew for more.
How to order a lower-caffeine drink at each chain
You do not have to give up the coffee run to drink less caffeine. A few small changes at the counter do most of the work. Most major chains offer decaf brewed coffee and will pull decaf espresso shots on request, so a lower-caffeine version of almost any order exists.
- Ask for half-caf, where the barista splits regular and decaf. Most chains will do it even if it is not on the menu.
- Order a smaller size. Caffeine scales roughly with ounces for brewed and iced coffee, so dropping from a large to a small can cut a third or more.
- Switch brewed or iced coffee (dosed by volume, so bigger cups keep climbing) for a latte or cappuccino (dosed by shots, usually one or two), which caps the caffeine regardless of cup size.
- Go decaf for the afternoon cup to keep the ritual without the hit. See decaf coffee caffeine for how little is actually left.
- If you are cutting down for good, a gradual taper beats willpower at the counter.
The short answer
- Strongest single cup: a Venti Starbucks Blonde Roast, about 475 mg.
- Strongest brewed coffee overall: Starbucks, then Caribou and Peet's.
- Strongest iced coffee: Dunkin', then Tim Hortons.
- Lattes and espresso drinks: closer everywhere, about 125 to 200 mg for a medium. Costa runs highest.
- Lowest of the big chains: McDonald's and Panera for brewed coffee.
- Hardest to pin down: Dutch Bros, 7 Brew and 7-Eleven don't publish full caffeine figures, so their numbers are estimates.
Add up your own daily total in the free Caffeine Calculator.
Is that too much?
The FDA's general guide for healthy adults is about 400 mg a day. A single Grande Starbucks Blonde Roast is close to that, and a Venti goes past it. Even a medium from most chains is half your day before a second cup. See how much caffeine is too much for limits by group.
How we source these numbers
Starbucks, Dunkin', McDonald's, Tim Hortons and Panera publish caffeine figures, and we use those where available. Dutch Bros, 7 Brew and 7-Eleven don't publish full figures, so their numbers are estimates from third-party testing and typical brew ratios, and Costa, Peet's and Caribou partly rely on third-party sources too. Recipes and sizes change, so treat every figure as approximate.
Full caffeine charts by chain
Written by Mike Zagare · Published · Updated
Mike Zagare is the founder of Knuckle. He tapered off a 500 to 600mg-a-day habit and built Knuckle from that protocol.
Common questions
Which coffee chain has the most caffeine?
The single strongest standard cup is a Venti Starbucks Blonde Roast (~475 mg). For iced coffee, Dunkin' leads.
Does Dunkin' or Starbucks have more caffeine?
Dunkin' is usually higher for iced coffee; Starbucks is higher for brewed hot coffee, especially Blonde Roast. Lattes are about the same.
Why are lattes closer in caffeine across chains?
A latte's caffeine comes from a set number of espresso shots (about 63 to 100 mg each, depending on the chain), not the drink size, so a medium latte lands around 125 to 200 mg almost everywhere.
Which coffee chain has the least caffeine?
Among the big chains, McDonald's and Panera brewed coffee tend to be the lowest.
What about Dutch Bros and 7 Brew?
They don't publish full caffeine charts, so their numbers are estimates based on shot counts. Treat them as approximate.
Does Panera still sell Charged Lemonade?
No. Panera discontinued its high-caffeine Charged Lemonades and Charged Sips in 2024.
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