College students and professors are some of the most well-caffeinated people around, therefore it is pretty important they know where to get the best deals on coffee products.

When determining which establishment is most student and faculty friendly, one must consider location to campus, price, taste and atmosphere.

There seems to be a Starbucks on every corner and eleven locations within a five mile radius of the Sac State campus.

While Peet’s has fewer establishments, they do have four within a five-mile radius of campus.

“When I went to Sac State, I would always go to Starbucks because it was a familiar place and there was almost always one on the way to or from wherever I was going,” said Sac State alumna Elece McBride.

In terms of price, not only is Peet’s cheaper, but customers get more for their money. A typical size small iced caramel macchiato costs $3.80 at Peet’s and comes in a 16 ounce cup. At the rival Starbucks a “tall” iced caramel macchiato is priced at $3.95 and served in a 12 ounce cup.

Another example of Peet’s better pricing is a piece of Citrus Bread at Peet’s costs $2.35 while the similar iced lemon pound cake found at Starbucks costs 10 cents more.

Peet’s is superior to Starbucks when it comes to living on a college budget.

Photography major Laurelle Bautista put her taste buds to work to find out which of the two has better flavor.

When comparing caramel macchiatos, she said Peet’s Coffee offered, “a very sweet drink with lots of caramel and a mild coffee flavor.” While the same drink at Starbucks focused on the coffee as the boldest part of the drink and the caramel was just a side note.

She said she preferred Starbucks.

Students who frequently ask for “extra, extra caramel” in their Starbucks drinks, may then find they prefer Peet’s Coffee, while students who enjoy the bold taste of espresso should go for Starbucks.

Starbucks iced lemon pound cake pastry beat out the citrus bread from Peet’s hands down.

“The citrus bread was really dry to me, and didn’t have much flavor,” Bautista said.“I don’t really like it at all.”

“The pastries [at Starbucks] remind me of something you would get in France,” said Starbucks barista Summer Rose. “While the ones at Peet’s Coffee are something I can picture my grandmother baking for me.”

The atmospheres of the competing companies also differ greatly. A student may find a quiet sanctuary to study between classes in a Peet’s. There are often times fewer customers allowing more seating available in a Peet’s while a Starbucks is more hectic and crowded, but both offer free Wifi.

Not many people know that two of the three founders of Starbucks Coffee were originally Peet’s Coffee and Tea employees, and all three personally knew Alfred Peet, the founder of Peet’s,

When Starbucks first opened in 1971, Peet’s supplied the company with their coffee beans for the first year.

While Starbucks has become a global brand, Peet’s has remained a Bay Area specialty. It’s first location being in Berkeley.

So whether you’re caffeinating for a study night, pinching pennies during lunch or looking for a snack there are always options for Sac State students.