UCF has a sprawling campus that is home to not one, not two, but nine different coffee shops, five if you don’t include the multiple locations of Starbucks and Cafe Bustelo.
To help you narrow it down, I tried them all and ranked them based on their prices, variety of options, and quality.
1. Dunkin’ Donuts
Although some may argue that the quality of coffee isn’t as great as that of Starbucks, I am ranking Dunkin’ Donuts higher because of its unbeatable price, range of options, and not too shabby coffee.
I typically spend $3-$4 there, and because their medium is 24 ounces versus Starbucks’ grande size of 16 ounces, that is a whole lot more caffeine for your buck. I love how easy it is to customize your drink with their many flavor shots and swirls offerings. Plus, they offer almond milk for dairy-free customers, which we found was the healthiest milk option.
The DD Perks reward program is the cherry on top. Instead of having to work for your first free drink, you get one just for enrolling in the program. And, let’s be honest, as college students, we need all the freebies we can get.
2. Starbucks
A very close second, Starbucks, while expensive, does serve some of the best tasting coffee on campus. They offer the most nondairy milk options of any coffee shop, including almond, soy, and coconut milk.
I typically spend $4-$5 there. While I do love specialty drinks like the coconut milk mocha macchiato, I find it’s more expensive and less straightforward to customize your drink unless you are a regular who knows how to hack the menu, so I usually opt for something basic like a cafe mocha or soy latte.
UCF has both a stand-alone Starbucks and two Barnes & Noble Starbucks cafes, so no matter where you are on campus, caffeine is always in reach.
3. Einstein Bros. Bagels
A little less pricey than Starbucks, Einstein Bros. Bagels offers unique specialty drinks like the Hazelnut Mocha. Their coffee is tasty enough that I don’t even mind that soy milk is their only nondairy option.
I typically spend about $4 there for a medium iced coffee. If you’re craving something frozen to help you survive the Florida heat, the frozen coffees are no Frappuccinos, but they are defintely tastier than the Dunkin Donuts Coolattas.
4. Java City
If you’re in the UCF library cramming for exams, Java City is of course the most convenient option for coffee. However, as you can see from its ranking, it is not necessarily the best.
Although they offer unique flavors like Cherry Cheesecake, the coffee is just so-so. The last time I ordered an iced Mayan mocha, half the drink was warm because the hot espresso poured into it did not cool down, and the flavor wasn’t all that strong.
As with most places, I spend around $4 for a medium iced coffee, but most likely won’t be getting my caffeine fix there too often.
5. Cafe Bustelo
With 3 locations at UCF, Cafe Bustelo would rank number one as far as convenience. But as far as coffee goes, there isn’t much variety. If you like your coffee sweet and creamy, try the Cafe Con Leche. It’s my favorite drink on the menu, but is too rich to have on a regular basis.
There you have it. May you stay alert and spend your coffee money wisely this finals season.