Chain vs. Local: Where should you go to get your cup of Joe?
RSJ reporters Tenyson Fowler, Eliana Gorov, Jada Mandeville and Jace Ouchida took a trip around Reno, Nevada to get an inside look at how much sugar is in the most basic latte and mocha. The coffee shops were also ranked on location, coffee quality and vibes.
While the high of the trip was the caffeine, each coffee shop was ranked from one through 10 for location, coffee quality and vibes.
With a total of 43 Starbucks in the local Reno area, it’s safe to say that this is one of the most popular coffee shops. Its commonality makes it a go-to for many college students, especially since the University of Nevada, Reno has one directly on campus.
Starbucks’ most classic latte, the Café Latte, has 14 grams of sugar in its 12 ounce. While this changes depending on the milk used, the company automatically uses 2% milk. The common mocha of the same size has 35 grams of sugar.
Starbucks was rated at a 7.33/10 overall.
Coffeebar is a local favorite, with three locations in Reno and a handful in the surrounding area. Visiting the Roastery location on Haskell, the helpful barista did the math; in a classic 12 ounce latte, the sugar content totaled 17.7 grams.
While this is based off the milk used, their go-to is whole milk, which has a higher sugar content than 2%. Their mocha has 24 grams of sugar.
Coffee Bar was rated at a 8.33/10 overall.
Dutch Bros is a classic choice, although they have many non-classic coffees. Their automatic milk choice for lattes is 2%, so their sugar content for a 12 ounce would calculate to 14 grams. The broistas (a Dutch Bros-coined term) did not know this at the window, however each coffee chain uses 2% milk in their coffees automatically.
If you’re looking for a normal latte, you might not be in luck. There is no latte on the menu, but the most comparable is their white chocolate chai.
It’s worth noting that this famous coffee location is known for their distinctly sweet drinks. Their medium white chocolate chai latte has 63 grams of sugar, and their medium white mocha has 28 grams.
Dutch Bros was rated at a 7/10 overall.
Hub Coffee Roasters does not portray their nutrition facts openly, but they were more than willing to provide it upon request. Since their normal coffee size is a 12 ounce with whole milk, they discovered that it has 15 grams of sugar. Their mocha in the same size has 27 grams of sugar.
Located right by the river, the Hub has a modern and intimate feel. Greeted by a welcoming atmosphere and above average coffee, the Hub is an exceptional place to fuel your caffeine needs. The only mishap is the parking situation as there is no parking lot, only surrounding street areas.
Hub Coffee Roasters was rated a 7.33/10 overall.
Old World Coffee Lab has four locations: Midtown Reno, Northwest Reno, Sierra Medical Center, and Carson City. The location in Midtown has a modern aesthetic and was busy with workers, students and coffee enjoyers.
The staff was very genuine and helpful, making this location one of our top choices for atmosphere. However, they did not have nutrition facts readily available. The barista noted that their lattes has 12 grams of sugar, although that seems low for the use of whole milk according to the Internet. Their mocha has 24 grams of sugar.
Old World was rated a 8.03/10 overall.
The Human Bean is another chain coffee bar that is unique for a few reasons, the biggest being the chocolate covered espresso bean they include on top of every cup. It adds a nice touch, making them stand out to consumers.
The baristas are on the friendlier side, which makes them stand out as a chain. They share the entirety of their nutrition facts online, which makes it easily accessible and transparent. They use 2% milk, and their lattes have a 14 gram sugar count, while their mochas of the same size have 46 grams.
The Human Bean was rated 7.66/10 overall.
Watch our video here.
Story by Tenyson Fowler, Jada Mandeville, Eliana Gorov, and Jace Ouchida for the Reynolds School at UNR.
