This year, we should take all the holiday cheer we can get. The best way to brighten your day is a nice iced peppermint mocha that reminds you of the crisp winter night, the wind whipping against the house as holiday movies become background noise. Since coffee is a necessity, you must be very thoughtful about getting the best bang for your buck. I visited the two most popular coffee chains in the United States, Starbucks, and Dunkin’ to determine which peppermint mocha is the best. 

If more mocha than peppermint is your style, Starbucks has your back. I ordered a tall, iced peppermint mocha. I was met with a chocolatey winter dream topped with whipped cream as white as snow. All commercial images aside, the drink was not worth it. While yes, I did appreciate the mocha, I can get that anytime. I bought the drink for the candy cane peppermint bliss. The initial taste was chocolate, leaving a semi-decent peppermint aftertaste. Not only did it come with an unwarranted amount of whipped cream, but it was also highly overpriced. It was almost five dollars for the smallest size. For the price, I would not recommend it! The drink itself was an 8/10 but I could have just as easily ordered a mocha latte and eaten a free restaurant mint. Getting this drink consistently throughout the holiday season will leave you eating candy canes to make up for lack of peppermint consumption and will leave your pockets empty, with no money for giving gifts. This would leave you joyless, not cheery. 

Alternatively, Dunkin’ provides peppermint heaven, bringing the holiday spirit to those who order this masterpiece. The small was filled with peppermint galore! It offered a mocha aftertaste, which I appreciate, considering that I usually order an iced coffee with mocha on the regular. The coffee was not centered around a regular Tuesday coffee order, it was centered around the time of year, the magic of the holiday season. Although it lacked whipped cream, I am sure if you asked, Dunkin’ would supply. The coffee was priced fairly, around three dollars. Overall, the coffee was a  9/10. I think long term, this coffee provides the joy of seasonal drinks with the peppermint overload, as well as getting a bang for your buck.