McCafe - McDonalds

I consider myself an open minded foodie and not to good to partake in fast food/chains. Anyway, when Mc'ds introduced their new coffee 3-4 yrs ago it was a great improvement over the previous coffee. Then, with the intro of espresso drinks about a yr ago I gave the lattes/espresso drinks a try. My initial impressions were favorable. I've purchased the product many times over the last year or so. They use a superautomatic machine and after a few pushes of the buttons a consistent product is dispersed, removing the need for a trained Batista. If it were a bad product I wouldn't keep buying it. No offense, but I'd be willing to wager that the avg local coffee shop patron probably couldn't ascertain much of difference between a local coffee shop produced by a barista compared to the Md's product in a blind taste test with an adequete sample size. I'm sure an expert could tell the difference but I'm sure about avg patrons of local coffee shops.

For those that have tried the Mcd's espresso drinks or their coffee what are your opinions? And the local experts/owners what are your expert opinions?

This is not to say I don't support and frequent and enjoy the locals often. Of course, you can't get the coffee shop atmosphere at Mcd's. And living in Fern Creek we now have no local coffee shops and a drive to the highlands for a latte doesn't always make sense.

Oh, Brian.

I had to pour the vile stuff out. N-A-S-T-Y.

I had no choice but to try McD's stuff on a return trip back home to help out my folks. Day after day, night after night in a hospital, I needed my espresso in a bad, bad way. I took one drink of their foul beverage and spit it out, it was that nasty. Because of that experience, I refuse to try any of their other drinks.

I learned my lesson and on the next trip home, took my own espresso machine.

That's my experience ... I'm glad yours was different.

Very interesting. I've had tons of lattes from local shops and have a very high end Italian superautomatic at home. I heard that the Mcd's machine is like 16k. Not sure if that's true. But it produces espresso and steamed milk. I'd say the steamed milk is not up to par compared to traditional machine steamed milk. I could only imagine it beIng nasty if they accidently dropped some ketchup in the drink or something.

There could also be a difference in the McD of small-town America and the McD of the big city. I can't tell you the reasons why; I just know it was putrid. I can't think of enough vilifying adjectives to describe the dreadful experience. Maybe my stress level at the time magnified the horrid-ness of it all, but I have heard from others, since then, that my experience was not isolated. YMMV

The actually I have to agree with Brian on this one. Their coffee drinks are not wonderful but not that bad either and are certainly better than some I've had. The one thing they have going for them is consistency since they are made by an automatic machine instead of a person. Another to try for a cold coffee drink is Sonic, again not wonderful but not bad and reasonably priced.

I gave them several tries...and found them gross. Not drinkable...and I swear, I'm not picky.

i will let you know tomorrow after i try mine for free.....

http://www2.mcdonalds.com/mccafe/

wow....they're giving them away. They must be really great.

Does anyone know if they have soy milk? If that is the case, then I'd be willing to try a free one, and give my opinion on it.

Otherwise, there is NO WAY I'm going to give McD's one penny. I've boycotted them for 15+ years, and not stopping now so I can drink a coffee from a machine that basically operates without a human. Heck, you can get that at Starbucks (pushbutton superautomatic)...

Stop by my place, and I'll make you a real drink, with freshly roasted beans (roasted on premises) and some great steamed/foamed milk with silky smooth microfoam. Also made with top quality chocolate sauce (McD's probably uses Hersheys or worse, and undoubtably the cocoa was harvested using slavery - much of the stuff you get on the mass market is).

But if it is free, and they use soy milk (I don't drink animal milk), I'll give it a shot. One more thing for me to do before ten AM tomorrow. Call McD's. Joy. But if anyone knows, pm me or post it, and spare me a call to McD's telephone machine!

Cheers

P.S. I've only heard bad things about their coffee so far, from coffee professional peers, but I'll do my best to be unbiased. Can they really not carry soy milk? You never know.

No soy. Guessing you could just get a straight shot however to taste the espresso. I am referring to espresso drinks rather than just regular brewed coffee. I've had your brewed coffee Nimbus and the roasting and deep full flavor show and is pro baseball compared to little league (mcd's brewed coffee). (never had a latte at your place)

However, when combing the steamed milk/espresso that mcd's produces compared to local shops and the gap becomes much, much less. IMO

wow....they're giving them away. They must be really great.

Does anyone know if they have soy milk? If that is the case, then I'd be willing to try a free one, and give my opinion on it.

Otherwise, there is NO WAY I'm going to give McD's one penny. I've boycotted them for 15+ years, and not stopping now so I can drink a coffee from a machine that basically operates without a human. Heck, you can get that at Starbucks (pushbutton superautomatic)...

Stop by my place, and I'll make you a real drink, with freshly roasted beans (roasted on premises) and some great steamed/foamed milk with silky smooth microfoam. Also made with top quality chocolate sauce (McD's probably uses Hersheys or worse, and undoubtably the cocoa was harvested using slavery - much of the stuff you get on the mass market is).

But if it is free, and they use soy milk (I don't drink animal milk), I'll give it a shot. One more thing for me to do before ten AM tomorrow. Call McD's. Joy. But if anyone knows, pm me or post it, and spare me a call to McD's telephone machine!

Cheers

P.S. I've only heard bad things about their coffee so far, from coffee professional peers, but I'll do my best to be unbiased. Can they really not carry soy milk? You never know.

i was waiting for your reply on this one.....

I like reading your posts.....you seem like a cool guy...

wow....they're giving them away. They must be really great.

Does anyone know if they have soy milk? If that is the case, then I'd be willing to try a free one, and give my opinion on it.

Otherwise, there is NO WAY I'm going to give McD's one penny. I've boycotted them for 15+ years, and not stopping now so I can drink a coffee from a machine that basically operates without a human. Heck, you can get that at Starbucks (pushbutton superautomatic)...

Stop by my place, and I'll make you a real drink, with freshly roasted beans (roasted on premises) and some great steamed/foamed milk with silky smooth microfoam. Also made with top quality chocolate sauce (McD's probably uses Hersheys or worse, and undoubtably the cocoa was harvested using slavery - much of the stuff you get on the mass market is).

But if it is free, and they use soy milk (I don't drink animal milk), I'll give it a shot. One more thing for me to do before ten AM tomorrow. Call McD's. Joy. But if anyone knows, pm me or post it, and spare me a call to McD's telephone machine!

Cheers

P.S. I've only heard bad things about their coffee so far, from coffee professional peers, but I'll do my best to be unbiased. Can they really not carry soy milk? You never know.

Nimbus,

I must say your post was quite a bit more restrained than I -thought- it was going to be. I kinda figured you'd be firing from both hips. Personally I visit McD's not to drink their coffee but in hopes that it will be hot enough to raise a blister when I spill it on my leg...I could use the money

All kidding aside I've been wondering when someone would post something on their new coffee products. They've certainly spent enough money promoting them.

i just called, and the McDonalds on 10th here in Jeffersonville has soymilk. 812-283-0663. So, maybe the other locations have it as well.

My sister was here a few months ago, and i did not know of you or your coffee shop. She would have LOVED going there. She is a vegan. And it was really hard going to go somewhere to eat or sit. I am sure she could have had something to eat at your place, along with coffee, which she loves.

Wow, I just assumed there was no way they carried soy and I'm shocked to hear that they do. The coffee knowledge of the mcd's workers is zero. Perhaps the were referring to their burgers tasting like soy burgers at a high school. Lol

There have been several blind taste tests that show people either prefer the McDonald's product over other brands, or at least can't tell the difference. I sat in on a blind tasting not to long ago and picked McDonald's over Starbucks, even though I was sure I could pick the Starbucks drink.

http://tiny123.com/0zf

My beef with McDonald's is A: It's difficult to get them to serve it without the flavored syrup, and B: It's not much cheaper than what you would pay at a coffeehouse.

I have not tried them, I dont drink coffee,

however my wife does, and her opinion is that they (McCafe) taste using her word "Yucky".