I tried iced chai lattes from 4 coffee chains, and I’d only order 2 again

I tried iced chai lattes from four major chains. Paige Bennett I tried iced chai lattes from Starbucks, Dunkin’, Peet’s Coffee, and Panera Bread. Panera’s version didn’t really have any of the fundamental flavors of a good iced chai latte.

Even though I wasn’t obsessed with any of them, I’d order another one from Starbucks or Peet’s. My go-to caffeinated beverage is typically coffee, but an iced chai latte is a close second. I like them smooth, creamy, and sweet with plenty of comforting spices like cinnamon, black pepper, ginger, cloves, and cardamom.

Most cafés have their own spin on the drink, so I decided to taste iced chai lattes from four coffee chains — Starbucks, Panera, Dunkin’, and Peet’s. Starbucks makes an ultra-creamy chai latteI wanted a little more spice from Starbucks’ chai, but it was still pretty good overall. Paige BennettThe iced chai latte at Starbucks is described as a blend of cinnamon, clove, and other warming spices in a chai concentrate combined with 2% milk and chai syrup.

This was the creamiest drink I tried, which I really liked. Four pumps of syrup gave it plenty of sweetness. But as far as the spices go, I really only tasted black pepper.

I wish it had more cinnamon flavor, at least. Overall, it was a pretty good drink. The sweetness and creaminess helped balance out the black-pepper flavor.

The 16-ounce drink cost $4. 85, or $0. 30 an ounce.

The iced chai at Dunkin’ didn’t have much flavorI think Dunkin’ is on the right track but the recipe just needs a few tweaks. Paige BennettDunkin’s iced chai latte is supposed to include a blend of cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. Without modifications, it’s made with whole milk, chai syrup, and chai extract.

This was the second lightest in color, so I expected it to be pretty creamy. But it actually wasn’t too milky. I mostly tasted tea.

It wasn’t very sweet, and I didn’t get any hints of the chai spices.  It was the best value, though. The 24-ounce medium cup cost $3.

69, or $0. 15 an ounce. Peet’s iced chai was heavy on the spicesPeet’s definitely did not miss with the spice.

Paige BennettPeet’s Coffee prepares its version with masala chai over ice, 2% milk, and chilled foam. It mostly tasted like spice with a little sweetness and creaminess to it. The drink had a thinner consistency, and of all four, it had the deepest, almost orange color.

 The 16-ounce medium iced chai came out to $5, or $0. 31 an ounce. Panera’s iced chai left much to be desiredI wish Panera’s chai tasted as good as it smelled.

Paige BennettAlthough some may consider Panera more of a fast-casual restaurant than a coffee shop, the café chain sources its own coffee, offers a large menu of typical coffee-shop drinks, and even sells its coffee online.  The description of Panera’s iced chai sounded promising: A combination of vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, honey, and foamed milk. But it was the lightest in color, so I wasn’t sure if it would be as flavorful as it sounded.

My hypothesis was correct — it smelled pretty good, but it tasted pretty bland. I tasted a hint of tea, but overall, the latte wasn’t sweet, spicy, or creamy. The consistency seemed thin and watery even though the ice wasn’t melting quickly.

 I knew right away I wouldn’t order this again. But if you’re not a fan of really spicy drinks, you might enjoy it more. Panera’s 20-ounce iced chai cost $5.

29, or $0. 26 an ounce. I’d order 2 of these iced chai lattes againI don’t think I’d ever particularly crave any of these, but they weren’t all bad.

Paige BennettHonestly, none of these drinks gave me everything I wanted in an iced chai — a balance of spiciness, creaminess, and sweetness. Starbucks was my favorite, and I’d order it again, but I still wish it tasted spicier.  Peet’s is probably my second choice because it had some spiciness.

But next time, I’d order it with extra sweetener and/or milk to balance everything.  Dunkin’ at least had some flavor, but that flavor was mostly just plain tea. I wouldn’t order Panera’s iced chai latte again.

I love a lot of offerings at Panera, but this lacked flavor. Read the original article on Insider.