McDonald’s Coffee Review

One super hot cup of Mickey D’s coffee, comin’ up!

McDonald’s coffee ranks as one of the most affordable and tasty coffee drinks around, and it’s definitely always been at the top of my personal favorites list. With high-quality coffee beans, excellent taste, and low prices, it stands up to the competition against other coffee stores like Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts. Surprisingly, McDonald’s coffee is gourmet. Gaviña is the coffee supplier for McDonald’s, and they use a blend of Arabica coffee beans grown in Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, and Costa Rica. 

 

History and Inspiration

McDonald’s knows how many of us love warming up with a cup of hot coffee in the mornings, so they’ve fine-tuned their process over the years to provide quality coffee at a decent price. Coffee has been on the McDonald’s menu since the restaurant’s inception in 1948, but back then, we imagine it tasted something like Maxwell House – brewed hours in advance. Though it only cost 10 cents, so it’s likely that no one complained about it. These days, the coffee is made with 100% Arabica beans, brewed every 30 minutes throughout the day, and only costs about a dollar. The franchise has also worked hard to improve its sustainability practices. By the end of 2018, 97% of McDonald’s global coffee supply was verified as compliant with their Corporate Commitment on Forests, and the goal is for their coffee to be 100% sustainably-sourced by the end of this year.

 

Types of McDonald’s Coffee

McDonald’s classic Premium Roast Coffee is not the only coffee available. There’s been a new line of coffee added to their menu in the McCafe lineup over the last few years, including iced coffee, espresso, lattes, and frappes, available in a variety of delicious flavors, like French vanilla, caramel, and mocha. While these drinks have gained some popularity, they can’t compete with McDonald’s classic cup of joe. 

McDonald’s Coffee Review

McDonald’s serves classic gourmet medium-roast coffee. Gaviña is the coffee supplier, and they use a blend of arabica coffee beans grown in Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, and Costa Rica. It comes hot- about 140 degrees- so take that first couple of sips carefully. 

1.      Taste and Texture [5/5]

McDonald’s coffee is strong and bitter, but with more flavor than you might taste in other coffee – a pleasant mild, slightly nutty taste. It’s smooth and smells heavenly. Because it’s brewed several times throughout the day, it doesn’t have that burnt-from-the-bottom-of-the-pot taste. I like to add pod cup of creamer for the taste and another to cool it down.

2. Is it healthy? [4/5]

A 16-oz cup of McDonald’s regular coffee contains 145 milligrams of caffeine, but it’s low-calorie and low-sugar, making it one of the healthiest items on the coffee menu. However, once you begin pouring in creamers and sugars, the calorie content increases, so you might use those additions sparingly. 

3. Are they Worth it? [5/5]

McDonald’s coffee is freshly-brewed twice an hour every hour throughout the day, so you’ll never receive a cup of coffee that’s been sitting around for hours, getting stale or burnt. The medium-roast blend that the restaurant uses brings out the nutty undertones without excessive bitterness that’s associated with dark-roasted coffee. You can find a McDonald’s location almost anywhere, so you never have to travel far to indulge in a coffee. And the price is so reasonable, you’ll wonder why you ever paid double or triple at other coffee shops. 

Final Verdict

Being able to find inexpensive, fresh coffee at any time of the day is a convenience I look forward to. I also appreciate the fact that the coffee beans are sustainability-sourced and the coffee grounds are used as compost in community and school gardens. I’ve never had a negative experience with McDonald’s coffee – unless you count the times I’ve burned my tongue by sipping it before I added my creamer. All-in-all it’s an excellent coffee choice. 

McDonald’s Coffee Nutrition Facts

McDonald’s Coffee Pricing 

McDonald’s small black coffee goes for about $1.00, while the same size at Starbucks costs $1.65, and at Dunkin’ Donuts, it costs about $1.59. It’s the least-expensive, freshest cup of coffee you can find.  

What do you think? Does McDonald’s coffee live up to the hype? Have you found another favorite? Hit us up in the comments below- we’d love to know.