Try again. The iced coffee can absolutely be served black, nothing is mixed until it is ordered. If you order a regular iced coffee; however, you will most likely receive it with cream and sugar.

"I don't know what McDs serves here, but I think it tastes better than Starbucks. Last few times I had Starbucks it tasted burned. I don't care for most of the coffee though I can get in the US though, now Vienna that's another story."

You should be ordering Americano at Starbucks and not a drip. It tastes much better. In terms of ordering your coffee, they have several drip varieties available. Starbucks, unlike Rotten Ronnies, offers more than one variety. Try the lighter roast next time. The 'burnt' taste comes from a darker roast which many coffee nuts appreciate.

The comparison of Starbucks regular blend to McDonald's regular blend doesn't really prove who has better coffee. It's akin to comparing a $10 Beaujolais to a $100 Bordeaux. Many people will like the former even if it is watery and absent of flavor because it's lighter and that's what they tend to like. That doesn't mean it is a better wine. A lot of people in this country would prefer pink zinfandel to say Chateau LePin, but that certainly doesn't mean that the former is better. ;)

I was wondering the same thing. I've never been able to tell the difference between the old and the new. McD's coffee has always tasted like gas station coffee to me.

Well played.
I was wondering how long it would be before someone entered and either bashed:
1. Starbucks
2. People who patronize Starbucks

Anyway, I love McD's coffee. That's my coffee of choice every morning. However, I do find that the taste/quality varies from one to the next, which to me, is disconcerting. McD's has built their brand on consistency. Their coffee from one to the next is not.

To whomever balked at the 'We'll put the cream and sugar in for you" policy... I wholeheartedly agree. I can't stand that policy. I know exactly how much cream/suger I want in my coffee. I have no idea how much they are putting in. Thankfully, the McD's near me still has the 'help yourself' cream/sugar station.

I have no problem admitting that I am a huge fan of Starbucks. I am a fan of coffee in general but I like coffees that are strong and bold and Starbucks and Seattle's Best seem to always be consistent with what I like. Yes I do admit that Starbucks can be pricey but it's what I like and I have no problem paying the $1.95 every morning for my venti bold. For what it's worth, I did finally try McDs coffee and it was good in fact much better than what I expected. For coffee that is served in a fast food chain restaurant like McDs, it is very good.:)

I'll admit that for as much as I love my Contra Cafe in the morning, when it's just me getting up early AM, I'll hit McDonald's on my way to work. It's far more convenient than Starbucks, their food is cheaper than Panera, and at least at the one where I stop, I can pick up a salad without chicken for lunch at the same time.

My butt's dragging this afternoon in BKW, and needed some caffeine to get through the second class I'm going to teach this afternoon/evening. The only place I could think of without driving into Beckley proper, was McDonalds, so I've given them another try, after hearing about their new brew via this thread.

I got a medium iced coffee (even though it's 34 degrees out today) made with just coffee and cream (confirming Dukeman's comments). It's surprisingly good. I think I'll finish this glass... and I'll keep McDonalds in mind for when I need some quick java without other options.

Best price-quality ratio for coffee in the US especially North East is Dunkin-Donuts coffee.

Here in Germany more and more McDonald's are remodelled and get an additional McCafé area where you get all kinds of coffee, pastries and cakes. The Café area has also a special and comfy seating area and you get your coffee in real coffee mugs (no paper cups or Styrofoam cups). The cakes are pretty good, too. Especially downtown McDonald's are getting changed this way. Is it the same in the US?

In Germany the normal McDonald's coffee is supplied by Kraft I think.

I just tried one of the iced coffees for the first time today and it was tasty. I had the vanilla flavour.

Glad to hear you like the McD's coffee, ffg. I am with you 100% on Starbucks coffee. But when there is no Starbucks at an airport, and yes, believe it or not, some airports do not have Starbucks, I fnd McDs to be a darn good replacement! ^

"Best price-quality ratio for coffee in the US especially North East is Dunkin-Donuts coffee."

I was in Massachusetts in January for two weeks and I was amazed at the dearth of coffee options. Then again, I was also puzzled at the lack of civic planning outside of Boston and why people drive 1-2 hours to go to work as well. That said, I had DD every morning. I'm pretty positive they just take their blend and try to make it as light and generic as possible. It has a sort of silky mouthfeel, but really no other characteristics to it at all. It's akin to someone blending wine with so many grapes and taking away any strong flavors so that in the end all you can do to describe it is say, "Yup, that's red wine." It's an Everybody Loves Raymond. You experience it, don't find it any bit great, but it doesn't offend anyone, nothing has an edge ever and you wonder why people are fanatical about it.

"Here in Germany more and more McDonald's are remodelled and get an additional McCafé area where you get all kinds of coffee, pastries and cakes. The Café area has also a special and comfy seating area and you get your coffee in real coffee mugs (no paper cups or Styrofoam cups). The cakes are pretty good, too. Especially downtown McDonald's are getting changed this way. Is it the same in the US?"

The people who run US based McDonald's have their heads up their backside. I almost NEVER eat US McD's (although I did have breakfast and the coffee 2-3 times in the last few months), but when I'm abroad I try McDonald's. In Australia it was more because they actually offered brewed coffee and in Germany it was more out of convenience. Why the US McDonald's does cycle the foreign food through is beyond me. The beet burger in Aussie was good and the burger I had in Germany was great with a whole grain bun and I got friend Camembert cheese with a berry sauce. It was great.

I still think this whole debate is moot though. People are comparing McDonald's and Dunkin light blends to a stronger Starbuck's roast. Compare it to one of their lighter blends and I'm sure people would have a different opinion.

Do you mean whip cream? This type of stuff I usually don't add to the top of my cold latte/coffee drinks.

Myself I like any coffee but Starbucks still my favorite.

Their iced coffee is indeed very good, if you watch them make it they don't seem to have a very exact way of adding the cream (ie. measure it) so it tastes different each time. I've had times where there was harldy any cream and others were it was as sweet as the Starbucks Frapacinno. Hope they get this right in the future.

David.

i tend to see coffee as a caffeine delivery device and am no connosieur. as a matter of fact the reason i cannot capitalize any of these words is because i spilled a cup of it on my keyboard about an hour ago and my fear of it damaging the keyboard has now been realized.

anyway, the wife makes the coffee in the household and when she is away i will stop at the mcdonalds [there is a starbucks next door to it] to get a cup, and i don't think it's too bad. i have tried dunkin donuts coffee and prefer the mcdonalds coffee.