We Reviewed 11 New Drinks from National Chains in 2025 — Here’s the Most Popular One

Whenever you start to feel “meh” about your daily routine, something as simple as switching up your coffee order can really be the jolt of energy you need (literally and figuratively). But you don’t want to get something you won’t like! That’s why the students who contribute to Dorm Therapy love to get their hands on new menu items and actually taste them. From reviewing a unique flavor combo (pumpkin and matcha) at Starbucks to ordering the entire Wicked menu at Dunkin’, Dorm Therapy’s drink reviews reveal exactly what you can expect if you decide to try these new offerings for yourself.

Throughout the second half of 2025, we tried 11 new drinks from your favorite fast-food spots like Starbucks and Dunkin’ — and there was clearly one our readers were most excited about.

Beverages were Dorm Therapy’s specialty this year, making up 11 of the 15 new menu items we tried. To decide which one was “the best,” we took a cue from our readers, looking at which drink review they read the most and, therefore, which drink seemed to excite them the most. The most popular drink review, by far, on our site this year was a holiday drop: Dunkin’s Cookie Butter Cloud Latte.

Dorm Therapy’s fall 2025 edit intern, Laney Crawley, hit up the Dunkin’ drive-thru in November to taste what this “cookie butter” latte was all about. Reviewing the latte, Crawley said, “It’s sweet but not overly syrupy, and the cookie butter crumble gives it a subtle flavor that feels festive without being over the top.” She also said it “hit a good balance of sweetness,” adding that it was “cozy and flavorful without feeling like I just drank frosting.”

There was one part of the drink that really impressed her: “The cold foam on top is the real star,” Crawley declared in her review. She even said she might start ordering the cookie butter cold foam on her regular coffee order

Crawley also gave Dunkin’ props for the “super pretty” holiday cups, especially the “winter-themed Munchkins on the iced coffee cup.” A cute cup and a tasty coffee? Makes sense why this was our most popular drink review.

There’s only one number-one drink review, but we have love for the runners-up, too. Another review for a Dunkin’ specialty, the Iced Cereal N’ Milk Latte, was a fan-favorite in August, and the Starbucks “secret menu” gummy shark drink took the internet (and Dorm Therapy’s readers) by storm in June.

Here’s to seeing what unique flavor combos these restaurants bring us in 2026!