I like McD's coffee in a pinch but prefer the local joint. Something about supporting a small business makes it taste better for me.

I actually like McDonalds's coffee, given the option of being able to order a breakfast and grab a coffee to go. It's not as good as Starbucks or Peet's but it's good enough to fill my caffeine needs.
One improvement they've implemented when ordering in drive thru, is the option of having sugar and cream put in your coffee, vs. having you do it. Now I don't have to pull over and fill my cream + sugar, it's all in there.

Since when do coffee snobs go to Starbucks? :confused:

I have not been back to the States in over a year but a couple
of weeks ago I was in Bangkok and tried their cafe at the McCafe,
it wasn't bad. I felt the Starbucks offering was better and
available in larger sizes and was served in a ceramic mug not
cardboard containers. I also tried the Bangkok DunkinDonuts
coffee, I read everyone in the States finds this the best, but
I was not impressed. But then again, back in the States it
might be different.

When in the States (which seems to be most of the year!) I don't mind drinking McD coffee, it's better than most of the wishy washy watery stuff available.

But I still can't fathom why you guys put cream in it? What's wrong with milk?! Because of that, I usually hunt down Starbucks etc. for an Americano with milk!

It tastes even better when you get the SENIOR discount!

Heh, I fall in that category. Is that at McDonald, McCafe or Starbucks?
Also, can I please then ask a quick coffee question for you pros? My wife,
who is Japanese, insists that Cafe Americano is regular coffee, weakened or extended with hot water. Wikipedia says it's espresso with water. I tasted it from her cup at a local ( Tokyo ) Starbucks. It sure tasted weak. It's what all the woman drink here, because it supposedly does not have too much coffein. Who is right?

My understanding is in agreement with what wikipedia thinks. The reasoning is that it's the Italian name of "diluted" coffee for those unable to drink the real stuff (i.e. Americans).
However, any real coffee enthusiast wouldn't care much about either variety so I guess it's not exactly a hot topic ;)

You beat me to that. :D

Now I have a better understanding. Thanks for clearing this up and thanks for letting me be off topic in this thread for one post. Let's get back now to what this thread was all about.

All coffee is yucky, but a McD Egg McMuffin (sans ham) is very tasty once in a blue moon. Alas no breakfast at the McDonald's here... which is for the best, I suppose, since I don't eat eggs outside of the US.

I've had friends rave about McD's coffee in recent times, though, so I think the OP is not alone in his assessment. :)

It is palatable but is not good coffee. If I am not in a rush I will get my sausage mcMuffins and then go on to get my coffee elsewhere.

Consumer Reports did a comparison of (drip) coffee at a variety of places and McDonald's beat Starbucks and lots of other places, at a much lower price. Rumor is they are going to introduce espresso machines. Given that Starbucks now uses automated machines that require little human intervention (it's the pull of the coffee, not the steaming of milk, that takes skill and judgment) McD's may give them a run for their money. My hope is that it goads Starbucks to improve their product enough to justify my going there. Combined with the change to ATT as their wireless provider and it will become a pretty good place to get a bit of work done.

This is true. Several markets have already renovated and added the new products, the rest of the country is in process with the expectation that the entire US is complete sometime mid/late 2009 at which point national advertising can begin.

McDonald's coffee CAN be good.. but their policy of "we'll add the cream and sugar" hasn't worked out for me yet. I've switched back to Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks since McD can't ever seem to handle my order!

I have been to mucho McD for their nice coffee and have never seen them mix it. Mostly the cream and sweetener is at separate counter but occasionally they hand out the containers and packets separately with the coffee (you tell them how many you wish).

MisterNice

Actually, with the rollout of the Premium Roast Coffee in 2006 cream and sugar should be mixed by the crew, unless you specifically ask for it "on the side."

Here in the UK McD has espresso machines to make 'real' coffee. And it's cheap too only £1.20 a cup vs £1.90 at Starbucks (yes yes I know that's how much you'd pay in USD:mad::D)

Actually, I went to *$ the other day (living in Bradford means I need to go to Halifax if I want some proper coffee that's not *$), and was surprised to find the double espresso at £1.55, with no extra charge if you wanted a machiatto.
I thought that was a very decent deal...Most coffee-shops seem to charge £1.70-2.00 for a double machiatto.
Seems like Sbux make most of their profits selling "frappucino", whipped cream and other assorted non-coffee cr@p!

I am implying that *I* am the coffee snob NOT you.

And I am no less confused as to why a coffee snob would patronise Starbucks!

I guess people would have a their own definitions as to how to define a "snob." I jokingly said I am a coffee snob because I will ONLY drink certain kinds of coffee and Starbucks coffee is one of the only kinds I will drink. My post was in good humour poking fun at myself. I am sorry if you misunderstood it.

Ah, fair enough. Sorry about the confusion. :D

"If I was on the road and wanted a coffee I would not hesitate to stop at Mcdonalds if no better choices(and IMO starbucks is not a better option)were available."

Are you talking about Americano here or are you one of those people who don't realize that at a real cup is made via expresso, not drip?

"And I am no less confused as to why a coffee snob would patronise Starbucks!"

It's good coffee and you know what you're getting. It's one of the reasons for McDonald's success. They are extremely consistent. I know what I'll get (at least coffee wise) at a Starbucks. Plenty of people complain that their coffee has a burnt taste, but they just do a darker roast than most people are used to. It's much akin to how people complain and call Guinness too heavy without realizing that it is light beer.

In terms of the McD's coffee, I've had it. It's not good and not bad. It's sort of like one of those CBS comedy shows where they've audience tested each joke so that they don't offend anyone with anything. In the end, you get a generic product that people like, but really doesn't have a lot of character. It's a decent cup given what McDonalds is, but I wouldn't rave about it.

Here in the Pacific NW, McDonald's serves Seattle's Best Coffee. Seattle's Best is owned by Starbuck's. So in a sense, you can enjoy or not enjoy both at the same time.

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.

I agree that McD's new coffee is much better than I expected. However, I have also found that Hardee's new Channel Islands coffee is just as good. Given they both now have decent coffee, the real choice boils down to who has the better chicken biscuit, which, of course, goes to Hardee's.

This is why they got sued by that woman who spilled the coffee on her legs, allegedly because they were serving coffee at temperatures significantly higher than the industry average, where you'd get third degree burns after 2 seconds of exposure.

The one time I tried McDonalds coffee was at a highway rest stop when I wanted some caffeine for the road. After 10 minutes of letting it sit outside, uncovered, on a cold day, it was still so hot I couldn't touch it and I ended up throwing it away in disgust.

I tried the iced coffee once, but you apparently can't just get it black - they premix all of their chemicals in to the entire batch. So that's a no-go, too.

Creamer, Sweetener, Temperature
 

I usually have to wait a bit for my McD coffee to cool. But then, I do that with almost any coffee I drink. It seems that its always too hot for me. Same for almost any hot drink I get like tea or hot chocolate.
I always ask for cream and Splenda on the side. I've had too many times where it just doesn't taste right and plenty of times where they must have put three or four times as much cream as I like. Once the clerk put six splenda (I asked for two) in the coffee. Several times I saw them put in sugar and made them give me a different cup. Now I always ask for it on the side.
Although I still think McD is the best, if we all liked the same thing it would get pretty boring for some of us!

You are not a coffee snob, you'e a SBUX snob. Big difference.

:p

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! ^