Gatorade leads YouGov’s 2026 U.S. beverage rankings as Dasani and Starbucks gain ground

Gatorade leads YouGov’s 2026 U.S. beverage rankings, with 41% of U.S. adults saying they would consider purchasing the brand the next time they are in the market for a beverage. Coca-Cola ranks as the most considered soft drink brand, while Dasani and Starbucks post the two largest year-over-year gains in Consideration. New YouGov BrandIndex data also shows how leading beverage brands compare on perceptions of Value and Quality, with cross-category Consideration scores intended as a broader indication of brand strength rather than a direct head-to-head comparison.

Key findings include:

• Gatorade leads overall beverage Consideration at 41%, more than five points ahead of Coca-Cola (35.6%). Lipton ranks third at 32.3%, followed by Starbucks (28.6%) and Tropicana (28.2%).
• Gatorade has an especially commanding lead in energy and hydration, with 41% Consideration compared with 21.3% for second-place Powerade, a gap of nearly 20 percentage points.
• Coca-Cola leads the soft drink category, with 35.6% Consideration, ahead of Pepsi at 26.7%, Sprite at 25.1% and Dr Pepper at 23%.
• Lipton ranks first among coffee, juice and tea brands, with 32.3% Consideration, followed by Starbucks (28.6%) and Tropicana (28.2%).
• Aquafina leads water brands at 23.2%, followed by Dasani at 19.6% and Smartwater at 18.6%.
• Dasani records the biggest year-over-year increase in Consideration, rising 3.8 points from 15.8% to 19.6%. Starbucks follows with a 3.5-point gain (25.1% to 28.6%), while Dr Pepper rises 3.1 points (19.9% to 23.0%).
• Gatorade also leads on perceptions of both Value and Quality, with Net scores of 33.2 and 45.5, respectively. Lipton ranks second in both measures, with a Value score of 32.5 and a Quality score of 40.8.
• High Consideration does not always translate into strong Value perceptions. Starbucks ranks fourth overall on Consideration but records a Net Value score of -15.1 and is outside the top 25 beverage brands on Quality perception.

“Beverage brands compete across very different occasions and consumer needs, so strength in this market is about more than simply being well known,” said Nora Hao, Senior Director at YouGov. “Gatorade stands out for combining broad purchase consideration with strong perceptions of value and quality, while Dasani and Starbucks demonstrate that even established brands can continue to gain ground with consumers.”

Read the 2026 U.S. beverage rankings here.

Methodology

The analysis is based on YouGov BrandIndex data collected among U.S. adults from August 1, 2025 to July 31, 2026. The year-over-year analysis compares that period with August 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025. Consideration measures the percentage of respondents who would consider purchasing a brand the next time they are in the market for beverages. Value and Quality are Net scores based on positive and negative consumer perceptions. Sample sizes vary by analysis, with minimum bases ranging from more than 16,000 to more than 23,000 U.S. adults. The rankings cover carbonated soft drinks; coffee, juice and tea; energy and hydration; and water. Brands are evaluated within each of these four categories, and comparisons between brands in different categories should be treated as directional. Alcoholic beverages are not included.