It’s 7:00 a.m. on a Monday. You’re feeling tired and suffering from the case of the Monday blues. You need an energy boost, but the question is from where? Both Starbucks and Scooters are calling your name.

A popular drink in the coffee industry is blended coffee. When is comes to Starbucks’ Caramel Frappuccino vs. Scooters blended Carmelicious, there’s no doubt the frappuccino takes the cake. The presentation of the two competitors were equal. A fluffy helping of whipped cream, drizzled with caramel on both drinks makes each look delicious. The flavors, however, differed. Where the Frappuccino was bursting with a lingering taste of carmel, the blended Carmelicious quickly faded.

Though Starbucks was the winner of the blended battle, it fell short in the iced coffee competition. Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato was not as appetizing as it look on the menu. I found it not as packed with flavor. Not only that, it was not stirred well. Carmel stuck to the sides and the middle was pure white. Though this Iced Coffee is not mixed or flavored well, Scooters Iced Turtle Latte didn’t fail to impress. Unlike Starbucks, the presentation was better. Scooters’ Iced coffee was served with whipped cream drizzled with chocolate and caramel. This coffee will be sure to satisfy any Turtle-flavor lovers.

Not only are these two shops known for their coffee, but also for their smoothies. Both Starbucks and Scooters succeed when it comes to presentation on these items. Though Starbucks’ Strawberry Smoothie was good, it was nothing compared to Scooters Strawberry Banana smoothie. Starbucks fell short when it came to flavor. The smoothie lacked sweetness, leaving it tasting like any ordinary strawberry. On the other hand, The strawberry Banana Smoothie from Scooters was delicious. Just the right amount of strawberries and bananas were combined to make a refreshing smoothie.

I have always been a Starbucks fan, though I would sometimes stray to a nearby Scooters. When it comes to blended drinks, Starbucks will always be the best option. However, when it comes to Iced Coffee, presentation, and flavorful smoothies, Scooters is the place to be.

Ashley Quintela

West Wind Features Editor and Hitting the Runway Blogger