Coffee Trends

What Kind of Coffee Does McDonald’s Use?

mccafe brown and green cup

McDonald’s has been one of the go-to places for coffee in the morning for many Americans. Not only do they offer amazing food options, but they also serve great-tasting coffee, even though it does have a reputation for being too hot! But have you ever wondered what kind of coffee does McDonald’s use?

McDonald’s has always been popular for its coffee and this popularity increased when they introduced the McCafe to their brand back in 1993. McCafe is classed as a coffee-house-style food and beverage chain that is located in the standard McDonald’s restaurants. This has allowed the brand to expand the coffees they offer. We will cover more on McCafe later in the article!

Don’t miss this article on Starbucks Instant Coffee.

What Kind of Coffee Does McDonald’s Use?

McDonald’s uses coffee sourced primarily from Brazil and Columbia. This coffee is 100% Arabica coffee, which contributes to 60% of the worlds’ coffee. They do not roast their own coffee, it is sourced from other roasters.

It is common for restaurant chains and fast food chains to source coffee from private roasters, where the expertise in coffee lies. One of the main roasting companies that McDonald’s uses is Distant Lands Coffee.

So technically, McDonald’s doesn’t use its own coffee, but who cares, it still tastes great right? 

A Side Note on Coffee

Coffee beans can be sourced from two main types of coffee plants, Coffea Arabica and Coffea Canephora. Arabica beans are considered the “premium grade” coffee beans that are more expensive but have a better taste, whereas Robusta beans are cheaper but have a bitter taste.

The type of roast is also important for determining what kind of flavors the coffee will have. Lightly roasted beans are often softer, smoother, and less acidic whereas dark roasted beans are generally more bitter with higher caffeine content.

When it comes to coffee beans, McDonald’s only uses premium 100% Arabica Coffee beans. McDonald’s offers five different types of coffee blends: Premium Roast, McCafé Blend, Medium Roast, Dark Roast, and Decaf.



What Makes McDonald’s Coffee Taste So Good?

McDonald’s is one of the world’s largest coffee sellers, and each year it serves more than 1.3 billion cups of its McCafe’s exclusive brand coffee.

The key to McDonald’s coffee tasting so good is the fact that they provide consistent quality every time. They use the same standards across the brand and also use either high-quality machines or barista grade coffee makers.

One useful fact that you’d be happy to know is that McDonald’s coffee, or more popularly known as McCafe, is less acidic compared to other coffee brands all thanks to premium-grade Arabica beans.

The great tasting coffee is also helped by the beverages being served at consistent temperatures every time (sometimes too hot). There’s nothing worse than getting your favorite coffee served warm. 

The McCafe Range

McDonald’s understands how much coffee is important for their customers, that is why you’ll notice that most McDonald’s franchises have been upgraded with the McCafe addition, revamped together with a variety of selections for their café-quality espresso-based drinks.

McCafe was reported to have secured 15% extra revenue than the regular McDonald’s in 2003. In Australia, every restaurant location rolled out the McCafe addition before it took on the rest of the world. Now it is unlikely that you will go into a McDonald’s without a McCafe addition. 

Here are some of the drinks included in the McCafe range: 

  • Caramel Macchiato
  • Iced Caramel Macchiato
  • Cappuccino
  • Caramel Cappuccino
  • French Vanilla Cappuccino
  • Mocha
  • Iced Mocha
  • Latte
  • Iced Latte
  • Caramel Latte
  • Iced Caramel Latte
  • French Vanilla Latte
  • Iced French Vanilla Latte
  • Americano
  • Premium Roast Coffee
  • Iced Coffee
  • Iced Caramel Coffee
  • Iced French Vanilla Coffee
  • Caramel Frappé
  • Mocha Frappé

The Final Sip

To answer the question, what kind of coffee does McDonald’s use? It is coffee sourced from Colombia, Brazil, and other locations in Central and South America. They do not roast their own coffee, and in fact, hire a private company to do so. If you have any comments about McDonald’s coffee, leave them below!



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