The daily grind: The sugar & coffee index

by Angelina Vodenicharova, 7 November 2025

Coffee culture is booming on both sides of the Atlantic. In the UK and the US, coffee is not just a morning routine anymore; it’s a lifestyle for many. From global giants to local indie cafés, consumers are spoiled for choice, sipping everything from classic espresso to elaborate seasonal creations. And let’s be honest: these drinks aren’t just for drinking. The whipped cream swirls, pumpkin spice dustings, and colorful matchas make them Instagram-worthy and endlessly shareable on TikTok, turning a simple cup into a social media moment.

And with two-thirds of Americans drinking coffee daily and Brits consuming 98 million cups per day, it is an integral part of their routines.

But while we might count our cups, few of us think about what’s actually in them. How much caffeine is really fuelling our day? And with festive drinks returning, how much sugar are we actually consuming?

To find out, we analyzed popular coffee chains across the UK and the US, comparing them on the sugar and caffeine content of classic and seasonal drinks (yes, even the beloved pumpkin spice latte). Here’s what we discovered about the sweetest and strongest drinks on the market.

Which coffee chains serve the sugariest drinks?

The coffee chains serving the sugariest drinks in the UK

In the UK, Costa Coffee tops the list for sugar overloads, averaging 19.8g per drink across both classic and seasonal beverages. Its hot chocolate, draped with whipped cream and chocolate swirls, tops the charts with 40.3g of sugar, 1.5 times sweeter than the one served by Starbucks.

Close behind, Pret a Manger delights the taste buds, averaging 18.8g of sugar per drink. Similar to Costa, its hot chocolate is among the sweetest and packs 34g.

Even classics aren’t completely innocent. The Americanos at Caffè Nero and Costa Coffee contain 0.8g and 0.1g, respectively.

Seasonal favorites are another sugar surge. While the chain ranks low on average (17g), Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte dominates, at 44.3g. For perspective, that’s almost as much sugar as in a box of 10 Jaffa cakes (50g). This is also almost twice as much as Pret’s (24.6g) and Greggs’s (25g) versions of the popular autumnal drink.

Filled with warm spices, chai lattes are also popular autumn and winter drinks; Costa serves the sugariest (28.3g) and Starbucks the least (21.4g). Costa Coffee also offers the hot chocolate with the highest sugar levels (40.3g), 1.5 times more than the one at Starbucks (26.1g).

The coffee chains serving the sugariest drinks in the US

Across the pond, Dutch Bros, headquartered in Oregon, rules the sugar scene with an average of 48.7g of sugar per drink. Its mocha latte (54g) and hot chocolate (66g) are perfect for warming up during crisp, foggy mornings.

The Human Bean, also founded in Oregon, comes second, thanks to a cappuccino that nearly doubles the sugar of other chains’ versions (20g).

Americans have a serious sweet tooth when it comes to seasonal drinks, and coffee chains know exactly how to tempt them. From cozy fall mornings to chilly winter afternoons, festive beverages are everywhere: frothy, spiced, and Instagram-ready. Our analysis shows that, just like the UK, the pumpkin spice latte is the sweetest drink overall, with Biggby Coffee offering the one with the highest sugar content (73g). This is approximately as much as in a family-size box of Oreos (70g) or two 12-oz cans of Coke (78g). This is also 2.5 times more than Dunn Brothers’ version (29g). For chai latte lovers, Dutch Bros serves the sweetest sip at 55g, while their hot chocolate tops the sugar charts at 66g, nearly double the 37g in Starbucks’ version. Whether it’s the aroma of cinnamon, the swirl of whipped cream, or the sheer indulgence, these drinks are the ultimate festive treats (and some serious sugar bombs).

Which coffee chains serve the most caffeinated drinks?

The coffee chains serving the most caffeinated drinks in the UK

Caffeine is woven into our daily life in more ways than we realize, from coffee cups to chocolate bars and energy drinks. But how much are we actually consuming?

In the UK, Costa Coffee leads in caffeine content. Averaging 263mg across lattes, cappuccinos, Americanos, and mochas, Costa doesn’t hold back. Their medium Americano and mocha each pack a punchy 325mg of caffeine. That’s equivalent to three shots of espresso, more than triple Starbucks’ average of 89 mg, and over double a 355ml can of Red Bull (155mg).

Greggs comes second, with its latte and cappuccino hitting 208mg and 235mg respectively, more than twice what Starbucks offers. Meanwhile, the latter serves the least caffeinated drinks on average, surprising for a brand often associated with “strong coffee”.

The coffee chains serving the most caffeinated drinks in the US

Across the Atlantic, Caribou Coffee, founded and based in Minnesota, leads the US caffeine charge with an average of 160mg. Its cappuccino, mocha, and latte clock in at 270mg, 195mg, and 180mg, respectively, all exceeding the caffeine levels in a 355ml can of Red Bull (155mg). New Orleans-based PJ’s Coffee follows at 140mg, Starbucks at 130.8mg, and Biggby Coffee sits at the lighter end, averaging 85.2mg.

Seasonal drinks tell a similar story. Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte delivers 150mg of caffeine, making it the strongest of the seasonal drinks in our study. PJ’s Coffee chai latte hits 96mg, the highest among the five chains analyzed, and more than five times the 18mg found in Biggby Coffee’s version. From cozy fall walks to frosty winter afternoons, these beverages not only warm your hands but also give your day a serious kick.

How much are consumers really paying per mg of caffeine?

Now that we know how much sugar and caffeine are packed into our favorite drinks, the next question is: how much are we actually paying for that buzz?

Using available price data and caffeine content (which significantly differ from one chain to another), we calculated the cost per 100mg of caffeine for popular chains in both the UK and the US.

In the UK, Greggs offers the best bang for your buck, with Brits paying approximately £1.04 per 100mg of caffeine. Costa Coffee follows at £1.54, while Caffè Nero (£1.89) and Pret (£2.10) aren’t far behind. Starbucks, however, stands out (not in a good way), charging a hefty £4.50 per 100mg of caffeine on average.

Starbucks also commands a premium in the United States, at $5.24 per 100mg, with Biggby Coffee charging a little more, at $6.96 per 100mg.

Whether you’re chasing a sugar rush, a caffeine kick, or simply the perfect Instagrammable latte, knowing what you’re drinking (and paying) can make a difference, both to your wallet and your energy levels.

The quirkiest coffee orders

While many of us stick to our go-to latte or cappuccino on the morning commute, some coffee lovers like to push the limits. To uncover some of the wildest caffeine creations out there, we turned to r/coffee and r/barista subreddits, and the results didn’t disappoint. From eccentric flavor combinations to espresso experiments, here are some of the most over-the-top coffee orders baristas have come across:

The sweet tooths

For some, coffee isn’t just sweet enough.

• One customer once ordered a large mocha with every single syrup they had in store – leaving just a third of the cup for milk.
• Another went for a small hot chocolate with 4.5 teaspoons of sugar, proving that moderation isn’t on the menu.

The undertow

A daring mix that’s part science, part chaos: 2oz of ice-cold chocolate milk topped carefully with a hot double espresso.

As one barista Redditor explained: “When you drink it, the espresso hits you first and it’s hot and then the ice cold chocolate milk rushes into your mouth soon after like a hurricane!”

The confused ones

Not all orders make sense, and that’s part of the charm. As one barista shared on Reddit, a customer once asked for an “iced hot Americano”, leaving the staff unsure whether to grab the ice or the steamer first. Another memorable request? A barista was asked to make a café latte…without coffee. Sometimes, some mysteries are best left unsolved.

The creative ones

Innovation lives at the coffee counter.

• A barista shares on Reddit having a regular customer ordering an iced Red Eye (a drip coffee topped with a shot of espresso) with raspberry syrup – for those who like caffeine with a twist.
• One customer asked baristas to blend a slice of chocolate chip banana bread with their frappe (we hope it’s delicious).
• Another invented the “Black Grasshopper” – green tea with a shot of espresso.

From sugar mountains to caffeine concoctions that defy logic, these Reddit finds prove that, when it comes to coffee, creativity knows no bounds.

Methodology

To reveal which coffee chains serve the drinks with the highest levels of sugar and caffeine across the UK and the US, we at Online-Casinos.com analyzed popular coffee chains in both countries.

• For the UK, we looked at the sugar and caffeine content for 12-oz drinks (or closest availability). We either used publicly available nutritional guidelines online and/or emailed the customer service to get the relevant information.
• For the US, we looked at the sugar and caffeine content for 16-oz drinks (or closest availability). We either used publicly available nutritional guidelines online or emailed the customer service to get the relevant information.

Please note that not all chains could be analyzed for all metrics due to data availability.

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