Dutch Bros Vs Starbucks: How Their Protein Coffees Stack Up

You can add protein to just about anything these days. It's in desserts, snacks, beer — you can even buy protein coffee from Starbucks and Dutch Bros. Starbucks launched its protein coffee menu in September 2025, when it introduced a range of protein lattes and cold foam drinks. Dutch Bros, meanwhile, has been dishing out protein since 2024, when the Salted Caramel Protein Latte and Salted Caramel Protein Mocha first hit its menu. But how do each compare?

The protein coffees at Dutch Bros are all made with a special casein-enhanced milk that contains at least 20 grams of protein per serving. You can swap the milk into pretty much any drink on the Dutch Bros menu, and some options provide more of a boost than others. For example, an iced medium-sized Hopscotch Protein Mocha, our taste tester's favorite of the Dutch Bros' protein line-up, contains 23 grams of protein, while an iced medium Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Latte has 28 grams. 

Starbucks also uses boosted milk in its protein drinks, but there are protein cold foams on offer too. You get a little more bang for your buck at Starbucks, with the dedicated protein drinks all containing 27 to 29 grams of protein per serving. Some have even more, like the Protein Matcha, which boasts 28 to 36 grams of protein. But what really matters is how the drinks taste.

A Tasting Table tester ranked six Dutch Bros protein coffees and reviewed Starbucks' protein lattes and cold foams after they launched, and was pleased with the results. The protein milk at Dutch Bros integrates smoothly into the coffee, and there are some really enjoyable flavors on offer. They loved the Hopscotch Protein Mocha in particular, and the Golden Eagle Protein Latte tasted even richer than the original. 

However, there is a lot to be said for the large range on offer at Starbucks, and the cold foams give the company an edge in the protein coffee game. Our tester really enjoyed the chocolate cold foam — so much so that she started adding it to all of her Starbucks drinks. Every foam she tried had an amazing mouthfeel, and the protein lattes were also perfectly creamy. The whey was most evident in the Iced Vanilla Protein Latte.  

Starbucks uses unflavored, sugar-free premium whey protein that's been specially crafted to blend into drinks, so it makes sense that it doesn't alter the taste and texture of the drinks too much. The Dutch Bros milk is also believed to be 2%, and none of its protein drinks contain added sugar. However, some of the Dutch Bros drinks were too sweet for our taste tester's liking and customers have posted mixed reviews online.

According to a few Dutch Bros baristas who have posted online, the blended drinks are usually made using a machine. When you swap in protein milk, the baristas have to hand-blend the drink, which throws off the texture. Blended drinks also use less milk, which decreases the nutritional value. "Something about the ratios for the hand blended coffee is off. It's always too icy and bland," one barista said on Reddit. On the same thread, another Reddit user wrote that they get their protein lattes "extra sweet or it's not palatable at all."

People seem to enjoy Dutch Bros' protein drinks over ice, though. In a TikTok video, one person called the Iced Sugar Free Protein Golden Eagle "dangerous," while another said, "It's got a little bit of a thicker consistency." The Starbucks protein milk seems to taste better iced, too. "​​The protein milk is absolutely delicious," one Reddit user said. Another called Starbucks' protein latte "super mild and creamy" on Reddit.

That being said, it's common for customers to enjoy the protein coffee options from both Starbucks and Dutch Bros. If you're after more protein, Starbucks might work better for you, but if you want more crazy customizations, maybe swap protein milk into the best Dutch Bros drinks. The differences in taste and nutrition are minimal, so it might just come down to which location is closer.