McDonalds is the "new" Starbucks?

[Aimeedyan]

I am addicted to the Mickey D's iced coffee. I don't care for Starbucks iced coffee.

But let's be fair. A cup of Starbucks coffee is NOT $3 or $4 and never has been. I can buy a grande coffee there for under $2, and it's just about the same cost as McDonalds hot coffee for a similar size. The frilly mixed coffee drinks are $3-$5, and my local McDonalds does not sell them.

For that matter, the latte at Sonic is $3 and not very good. I can pay Starbucks another 50 cents and get a decent one with more options and a nicer atmosphere to read a book in.

McDonalds coffee is tasty but I don't go to Starbucks for a black coffee, I go for a pumpkin spice latte, white chocolate mocha, or chai tea latte - none of which are served at McDonalds.

ETA: Starbucks hires good people, pay them well, and offer benefits to PT employees. If my 50 extra cents on a latte goes towards that, I'll gladly pay it.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

This honestly doesn't surprise me. I go to university in a small, rural, relatively low socioeconomic status town. They have built a new McDonald's and refurbed the old one. They both have Wi-Fi, a flat screen TV that plays the news, bistro colors, etc. I have also noticd an explosion of coffee offerings. Despite the university, we are hardly a hotbed for it. So I figured if they were doing this in our town...

BUT-Starbucks has FRIENDLY, helpful , CHEERFUL employees

The typical McDonalds employee has-no personality, unhelpful, frowns, is a downer.



There are many, many Starbucks coffees. Dh rotates the mediums at home, and I use the light blends

Actually, the people at the McDonald's here are very nice and helpful. I was in there the other night to get a late dinner and they brought me out a free hot fudge sundae. Maybe it is just the area. I have never had a problem with rude employees at either of our McDonald's. Now Taco Bell on the other hand...

 

[Planogirl]

But let's be fair. A cup of Starbucks coffee is NOT $3 or $4 and never has been. I can buy a grande coffee there for under $2, and it's just about the same cost as McDonalds hot coffee for a similar size. The frilly mixed coffee drinks are $3-$5, and my local McDonalds does not sell them.

I'm glad that you brought that up. One would think that everything at Starbucks is $3-$5 which is of course untrue.

Once McD's quits being geared to young kids and sells good chai lattes, I might switch. Until then I think that I'll stick to Starbuck's. I love the atmosphere, the employees and the baked goods (not that I need those ).

 

[chisnpeke]

I love McDonald's iced coffee and I always get it with an extra shot of vanilla. Their new McCafe drinks are good! However, their vanilla iced lattes are the exact same as their vanilla iced coffee they just cost more...not worth it. I also really like their hot vanilla lattes...giving Starbucks a run for their money with those!

 

[Imzadi]

The frilly mixed coffee drinks are $3-$5, and my local McDonalds does not sell them.

ETA: Starbucks hires good people, pay them well, and offer benefits to PT employees. If my 50 extra cents on a latte goes towards that, I'll gladly pay it.

I think the "premium coffee products" PD was talking about are going to be those frilly mixed coffee drinks, that McD's may soon be selling.

What I can't stand at McD's is how they insist on putting the milk & equal packet in for me. First of all, they don't know how much I want in, I really don't need them to do that for me, for a plain (non-frilly) coffee. I can do my own, just hand me a bunch of those little creamers.

Secondly, I worry more about the lack of intelligence of some McD's employees. If they have such a hard time getting: cheeseburger, no pickles, extra ketchup right, how are they going to get the half-caf, double skim mochas right?

I would prefer to pay Starbucks employees for that, because you know they will get that right.

 

[DisneyMomOK]

My DH is a convert since this summer. He thinks McD's iced coffee is better than Starbuck's and because he likes the convenience of drive-thru, it is a win-win for him.

 

[Planogirl]

Most of our Starbucks have drive-through windows. Is that unusual in some areas?

 

[Aimeedyan]

Secondly, I worry more about the lack of intelligence of some McD's employees. If they have such a hard time getting: cheeseburger, no pickles, extra ketchup right, how are they going to get the half-caf, double skim mochas right?

I would prefer to pay Starbucks employees for that, because you know they will get that right.

amen to that! DH won't even order for me at Starbucks because he doesn't understand half of what I say so I don't expect my local McDonalds drive through person to.

Their iced coffee comes premade, they just pump in the flavoring and fill the glass with ice, so I haven't had an issue yet...

 

[DisneyMomOK]

Most of our Starbucks have drive-through windows. Is that unusual in some areas?

None of the three SB's by us have drive-thru.

 

[C.Ann]

I heard about that awhile back..

Personally I have never understood the fascination with Starbucks.. Why would people shell out such ridiculous amounts of money for coffee.. I don't care what you put it in - how you dress it up - what kind of fancy name you attach to it - it's coffee..

 

[Aimeedyan]

I have a question. If McDonalds is charging $2.25 for a large iced coffee and $2 for a large hot coffee, how cheap are the frilly lattes really going to be? I know Sonic is about 50 cents cheaper than Starbucks, but they don't have the various options that Starbucks gives (nor the atmosphere).

If you have a Mickey D's with a coffee bar inside, what are the prices like for coffee drinks?

 

[Aimeedyan]

I heard about that awhile back..

Personally I have never understood the fascination with Starbucks.. Why would people shell out such ridiculous amounts of money for coffee.. I don't care what you put it in - how you dress it up - what kind of fancy name you attach to it - it's coffee..

I think that's the point, C. Ann. Their coffee ISN'T any more expensive. At least in my area. A tall black coffee at Starbucks is $1.50. A coffee at McDonalds, Chick Fil A, Krispy Kreme, etc are all about $1.50. I don't know why people think Starbucks plain black coffee is so pricey

(for the record, I can't drink Starbucks coffee as it's too hard on my stomach)

 

[Planogirl]

I heard about that awhile back..

Personally I have never understood the fascination with Starbucks.. Why would people shell out such ridiculous amounts of money for coffee.. I don't care what you put it in - how you dress it up - what kind of fancy name you attach to it - it's coffee..

I don't drink coffee but I do treat myself to the occasional chai latte at Starbucks. (These help with colds too. ) I also like to go to Starbucks just to relax sometimes - the atmosphere is perfect for that IMO.

 

[DisneyMomOK]

I don't drink coffee but I do treat myself to the occasional chai latte at Starbucks. (These help with colds too. ) I also like to go to Starbucks just to relax sometimes - the atmosphere is perfect for that IMO.

After dinner out with friends, we like to go for something small for dessert and a tea or coffee. It is the atmosphere that accommodates lingering that brings us to SB's. However, when DH is in a hurry in the morning, McD's wins.

 

[Papa Deuce]

But let's be fair. A cup of Starbucks coffee is NOT $3 or $4 and never has been. I can buy a grande coffee there for under $2,

I do believe a grande near me is very close to $3. ( iced )

 

[Aimeedyan]

I do believe a grande near me is very close to $3. ( iced )

Perhaps there are regional price differences. I drove through Starbucks on Sunday morning to buy the children's choir accompanist a grande black coffee and it was $1.85. Maybe it's more iced?

I also got the assistant a grande hot tea and it was $1.85, too! I thought that was steep for a cup of hot water and tea bag...

 

[kafitty]

DH has always said McDonalds coffee was great.

Walmarts and McDonalds will be about the only stores left when this crappy economy is said and done.

i keep saying, i'm not really panicking about the recession until McDonald's starts closing locations.

i haven't bought Starbucks for years. i don't like someone who works as a barista at the sbux in my hometown, and i refuse to contribute to her wages in any way, shape or form. trite? perhaps so...buuut passive aggression helps me stay sane.

 

[Imzadi]

Walmarts and McDonalds will be about the only stores left when this crappy economy is said and done.

It was on the news a coupe weeks ago during all the Wall St. collapses & bank bailouts, that Walmart stocks were about the only ones that went UP. I check the charts & they were already too high to start buying the stocks.

I suppose they could really shoot up, but PD actually listed a NY Times article a while ago, too, about how some great companies are way undervalued at $10 (at the time.)

Personally I have never understood the fascination with Starbucks.. Why would people shell out such ridiculous amounts of money for coffee.. I don't care what you put it in - how you dress it up - what kind of fancy name you attach to it - it's coffee..

It's kind of like a plain ice cream cone or cup of ice cream is $1. You add in all those frilly toppings & syrup flavors, turn it into a sundae or banana split & you can charge $3-$4.

 

[Papa Deuce]

i keep saying, i'm not really panicking about the recession until McDonald's starts closing locations.


i haven't bought Starbucks for years. i don't like someone who works as a barista at the sbux in my hometown, and i refuse to contribute to her wages in any way, shape or form. trite? perhaps so...buuut passive aggression helps me stay sane.

One near me has closed, but OTOH, 2 others have just been totally remodeled in the last 2 years.

 

[rparmfamily]

Our McDonald's by us (on the base at Pearl Harbor) has been a McDonald's Cafe (test market) for awhile and has a "coffee shop" inside, including flat screen TV's, leather chairs, carpeted areas, fancy mosaic tiles,etc. They have special desserts, muffins,etc plus all the fancy syrups,etc.

On a side note, it also serves Spam, LOL.