With all the hype over seasonal specialty coffees and the trends of 2015-2016, there comes the question of what’s the difference between Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, or Mom-and-Pop shops around Bucks County? And why spend more than you have to when you can support local (cheaper) businesses?

Bucks County Community College is known for its vast number of commuters, all of whom have different class schedules.

With the dreaded 8ams, the most common thought students have is probably what type of coffee they can get their hands on quickly before class.

In 2015, Starbucks launched its first ever “online-ordering” system in which you order directly from your phone and the expected pickup is between 4-8 minutes.

This gives you plenty of time to find parking- risk paying the meter- and going in to grab your already ‘paid for’ coffee without the dreaded line of students, business professionals, and on the go-ers!

This may sound convenient, but imagine if it’s all really worth it with the expensive coffee you’re getting out of it. Prices can range from $1.75 for a tall (12 fluid ounces), black coffee to a whopping $6.00 venti Frappuccino…and that’s before you start adding in the milk and sugar.

Specialty drinks and coffee can become costly for the mainstream college student; thankfully, there’s a solution.

Mom-and-Pop shops have been around for ages, and are typically overlooked when thinking of them as the first place to go. But, in the end, they might be the best solution to saving nearly $10 a week! Everything adds up.

Accounting major Robert Radzinski, 22, from Langhorne explained that he prefers Starbucks for the taste, but coming off the train to Temple, he opts for the local Saige Café on campus. Radzinski said the physical appearance was “ cozy and modern with nice décor and very welcoming staff with plenty of seating.”

College students are all about figuring out innovative ways to spend less time in lines and places that understand the pace of their ever so busy lifestyles.

For those who live on campus at Temple, it’s easier to walk to a Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts but as for commuters, Saige Café is on the way to classes.

Radzinski hinted at the fact that he believes “millennials are more willing to support local businesses, where as older generations have learned to be accustomed to places like Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts.”

Dunkin Donuts is known for many things, and convenience is what many look for.

Liberal Arts major Matthew Hill, 19, of Yardley, has similar thoughts about Dunkin. He enjoys the convenience of drive-thrus if he’s in a rush to class.

Unfortunately, these are some of the negative aspects of Mom-and-Pop shops.

Hill also likes one of the local shops in Morrisville, Ben’s Deli. “Sometimes I go to Ben’s Deli in Morrisville for a breakfast sandwich and coffee. I pay close to a $1 compared to the typical $2.80 for a Dunkin Donuts iced coffee, which is nearly $2 cheaper.”

Adding to the fact that Ben’s Deli not only has coffee, but affordable food, screams every college student’s ideal place to go.

“I don’t get food at Dunkin, just coffee when I’m on the go,” Hill added when talking about the local shop. “When I go to Ben’s, I have options for what I want to eat when I go, like a pancake platter, or a double sausage sandwich on fresh Kaiser rolls compared to the junk they sell at Dunkin Donuts.”

College is the time to be saving money, not spending. By supporting local businesses, there’s an opportunity to shift away from the generic places like Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, and experience a new atmosphere in your area.