I haven’t run a comparison of the top Canadian Fast Food chains’ coffee offerings for quite a while. I haven’t needed to. After the big showdown over takeout coffee a few years ago, I decided that McDonald’s ‘Premium Blend’ was ‘IT’…
Guess which Fast Food coffee topped the ratings?
But the younger set – who probably weren’t even drinking coffee back then – still have a few things to learn about the universal beverage.
Thus did Gen X food writer, Narcity contributor Lauren DiBenedetto embark on her own tour of the top 5 Fast Food restos, comparing what many morning commuters would consider their most essent-ial menu items.
What she did
DiBenedetto ranked: Tim Horton’s, Starbuck’s, Wendy’s, A&W’s and McDonald’s coffees on 4 strict criteria:
- Taste
- Variety
- Milk Substitutions
- Cup design/durability (but more importantly, cuteness)
The ‘Great Leveller’
While you might not agree with the criteria on which DiBenedetto judged the various Brands, you have to agree that she sidestepped he swamp, in as much as she told us at the outs\let that the Fast Food chains all have their own blends, their own procedures and their own machines for preparing their coffee. Variations are inevitable, even on the same day at the same location – depending on which crew member made the last pot.
Which is no to say that the results of Di Benedetto’s review shouldn’t serve as a basis on which the Brands could review those variables with a view improving their coffee…
The official rundown…
The Narcity/DiBenedetto Fast Food Coffee Showdown produced the following ranking:
1. McDonald’s
“McDonald’s incredibly tasty coffee, paired with its versatile drink options and durable, no-nonsense cups, makes it a clear winner in my books.” 4.5/5
2. Wendy’s
“In a surprise to probably everyone – myself included – Wendy’s lands itself in the number two spot. If you’re looking for the perfect start to your day, I suggest getting yourself a large double-double.”
3. Starbucks
“Their regular brewed coffee isn’t show-stopping. […] It doesn’t have the smooth, silky quality you’d expect from a coffee that costs nearly $3.” 3/5
4. Tim Horton’s
‘While I applaud the way they’ve stepped up their game, the truth I wish I could conceal from you all is that their coffee just isn’t that good.” 2.5/5
5. A&W
Even with all the ‘fixins’, DiBenedetto, “STILL found A&W’s coffee too bitter for [her] liking…” 2/5
My take
On her criteria…
Right off the bat, I can’t see the value or importance of comparing Fast Food coffee menus on the basis of the milk/cream substitutes they offer. But this is, apparently, a Big Thing among the younger set. So be it.
I also had a giggle over the comments DiBenedetto offered about ‘Cup design/durability’. As an old hand in the foodservice biz, I happen to know there are only a few paper companies that manufact-ure take-out cups used by all the restaurants. And equally few that supply the universal plastic caps that go on them. I say universal, because they all share the same basic design, and you can’t tell them apart from 10 ft. / 3 m away…
And Fast Food beverage cups all have to conform to standard measurements to accommodate the right amount of the beverages they will contain, as well as fit in the dispensers the restos use to ‘cue them up’ for the serving staff. Not to mention that those cups have to fit properly in ALL automobile cup holders. Someone, long ago, made a decision on what constitutes a ‘standard’ takeout beverage cup…
On her findings…
I, too, was surprised that Tim Horton’s coffee came off so poorly against the competition. It used to be THE Fast Food Coffee of Canada. And the Double Double is still the iconic Canadian coffee order. Even so, there are died-in-the-wool Tim’s lovers who swear by that doughnut shop’s dark, strong blend…
About Starbucks… I agree with DiBenedetto that their plain, black brewed coffee can be overwhelm-ing. Other reviewers have also described it as ‘strong, bitter, or [displaying] burnt top notes’…
As I admitted off the top, I have tried them all – repeatedly during the big pre-COVID coffee war among the Fast Food brands – and I agree entirely with DiBenedetto: McDonald’s is by far the best baseline takeout-chain coffee. So there…
~ Maggie J.