Competition A cheaper alternative to investing in Starbucks shares can be Dunkin Brands Group, which has the same ambitious expansion plans to grab market share wherever possible both domestically and internationally. Dunkin Brands Group operates mostly out of the northeast, but has recently unveiled expansion plans to expand out west. The company has also been expanding its menu items and selling K-cups to capture the at-home brewing market. Dunkin Brands Group is franchised, so the company doesn't have to put up capital to open a new store or embody most of the operating costs of running stores, which translates to a much higher operating margin (42.09% compared to Starbucks 16.44% reported in the second quarter of this year).