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A bitter shot for Starbucks: McDonald's wins taste test
Seattle Times ^ | 2/3/07 | Staff

Posted on 02/04/2007 6:42:33 AM PST by Millee

There's nothing average about the Joe at McDonald's.

The Golden Arches beat out java giants Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts, along with Burger King, in a coffee taste test run by Consumer Reports magazine.

The magazine proclaimed McDonald's Premium Roast Coffee had "no flaws" and was easiest on the wallet.

"Try McDonald's, which was cheapest and best," Consumer Reports says in its March issue. "Or make your own coffee."

Of the four, McDonald's cost the least, $1.35, on average.

It "was decent and moderately strong," the magazine says, "although it lacked the top notes needed to make it rise and shine."

Starbucks might have the most vocal fan club among the caffeine crowd, but its $1.55-a-cup brew was deemed ordinary. "Strong, but burnt and bitter enough to make your eyes water instead of open," the report said.

McDonald's main competitor is Burger King, but McDonald's beat it on taste and price.

Burger King's coffee cost $1.40 a cup, and was a pale imitation. "Looked like coffee but tasted more like hot water," Consumer Reports said.

(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...


TOPICS: Food
KEYWORDS: caffine; caffineaddiction; dailyfix; drugs
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To: napscoordinator

As she says, "Braces are a tough way to do it."

The slow eating and grazing are probably the keys.

She isn't too worried about the C levels. Every woman in her family tree has had high C levels and made it to 90 or close to it. She has an aunt, who will hit 100 in a year, and her C levels are out of site. Her GP keeps wanting her to go on the statin drugs. Her response, "It is a little too late to prevent early death in my case doc, forget it."

My Mother went on the statin drugs when she was 85. She was concerned with dementia, and the drug therapy seemed to really help her memory and thinking processes for 4 years.

Our younger son, who will turn 38 this spring has been a grazer all of his life and is a pyscho bike rider. If he doesn't ride 25 miles a day, he is impossible to be around. He got into gi trouble a few years ago and fortunately went to a clone of him, who was a GI doctor. The diagnosis, he wasn't eating enough and needed at least 4-5,000 calories a day in the winter time and more during spring summer and fall when his bike riding would hit 500 miles per week. Also, he was to gear down 2 days a week and only ride his bike a couple of miles per day.

Because of his high energy levels, this doctor and now a friend, suggested that he quit being a chef and get a high energy demand job. He is now working about 50+ hours a week in a winery and loves it. Both of his uncles, my wife's brothers choose similiar high energy type jobs and weigh the same at 65 and 62 as they did in highschool. My joke is we need to isolate some of their gene factors, clone them and make America fit, muscular and psycho workers and athletes for life.


21 posted on 02/04/2007 9:20:31 AM PST by Grampa Dave (GW has more Honor and Integrity in his little finger than ALL of the losers on the "hate Bush" band)
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To: Millee
I buy Jose's Vanilla Nut coffee beans at Costco for an average of $4/lb. (I alternate with Yuban and French Roast at a little higher cost). It's great coffee, and a pound provides about 12 pots (12 cups each), so my cost per cup (less cost of water, electricity, filters and amortized cost of my grinder and automatic coffeemaker) is less than 3 cents a cup. I imagine if I included all costs it would be around a nickel a cup, maybe a dime if I'm using more expensive beans. When I'm away from home it's McDonald's every time! Why anyone would pay Starbucks' price is, to me, one of life's enduring mysteries.
22 posted on 02/04/2007 9:23:53 AM PST by Bernard Marx
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To: Millee
IMO, worst auto testing and taste testing magazine is Consumer Reports. That aside, I agree with their premise that Starbucks is awful tasting overpriced robusto bean coffee. And every coffee fanatic knows that the robusto bean is the ugly sister to the arabica bean.


IMO, best coffees are as follows:

Gas Station Coffee and overall winner:
Quik Trip Coffee (Best overall coffee for price -- $0.99 for an XL cup of varieties of arabica with combinations of cocoa, mocha, cappuccino, and other flavorings--$0.75 for a refill). Quik Trip sells either by the cup or by the pound of beans.

Various unnamed diners throughout the country that have waitresses with such strong addictions that they demand their bosses order really great coffee which they pour every two minutes and call you "Hon" and "Babe" and Sweetie".

Dunkin Donuts (consistently best flavor)

TGIFridays (best instant coffee at a restaurant)

IHOP (endless coffee for the addict at a franchise restaurant)

Wal Mart 100% Columbian (cheapest store coffee with best flavor)
Martinson (best flavor for mid range store coffee)
Brown Gold or Yuban (Best coffee taste on high end store bought coffee)
Medalia D'Oro (best flexible coffee for ethnic favorites)

Taster's Choice freeze dried coffee (best store bought instant coffee)


Consistently worst coffee at a restaurant is Tim Horton (by far the highest priced worst coffee I ever tasted)
23 posted on 02/04/2007 9:28:23 AM PST by sully777 (You have flies in your eyes--Catch-22)
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To: Millee
I've never been a big fan of McDonald's but give credit where credit it due. Their new coffee is fantastic.

I travel to Alabama a lot because most of my family lives down there. However, the lack of a decent cup of coffee down that way has always one of the downsides of going down there (mitigated somewhat by the great home cooking). No Dunkin Donuts, no Green Mountain, not even a Starbucks unless you want to go all the way to Birmingham (and you don't).

So I always had to settle for coffee at McDonalds when going down there. Nasty, bitter stuff that was always way too hot and left on the burners way too long.

But about a year ago, I went down there and saw this new "Paul Newman" coffee in all the McDonalds. What a difference. I still won't eat any of the "food" in there but the coffee now brings me into the Golden Arches on a regular basis, even here in New England.

24 posted on 02/04/2007 9:44:35 AM PST by SamAdams76 (I'm 43 days from outliving Steve Irwin)
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To: Millee
A few years back, our firm decided to replace all of its coffee machines. These are the kind that use packets of coffee that are then injected with hot water to brew a cup of fresh coffee.

We decided we would do a taste test, so we had the vendors install coffee machines from three different makers, one of whom was Starbucks. After two weeks, we did a poll. Starbucks came in last of the three. Cost was not an issue in this test, since these machines are installed at the firm's expense and cost the users nothing. People just were not crazy about the taste of Starbucks' coffee.

25 posted on 02/04/2007 9:46:31 AM PST by blau993
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To: Millee

Problem is, that the coffee that beat out Charbucks is another local roast called Seattle's Best.

I used to buy it alot, they have some very nice brews... rather, they had. Getting harder and harder to find lately.

The reason it's getting harder to find is that they were bought out by - you guessed it - the charcoal kings themselves, Starburnts.

Starbucks would gag a maggot!


26 posted on 02/04/2007 9:50:35 AM PST by djf (Democracy - n, def: The group that gets PAID THE MOST ends up VOTING THE MOST See: TRAGEDY)
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To: ex-Texan

I found the biggest problem, is no matter what coffee is used, virtually no consumer drip-type maker get the water hot enough to extract all the flavor out of the coffee, esp. when they get a few miles on them and calcified. It's possible to make "strong" but weak or poorly extracted coffee. So it does no good to buy yuppie-eunuch brew but not make it right.

The old percolators boiled the coffee, but at least didn't waste the coffee. Camping put a big enamelware cowboy pot by the fire or coals, not in it, for several hours and it's just as smooth as possible.


27 posted on 02/04/2007 10:02:44 AM PST by Freedom4US (u)
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To: Condor 63

"IMO the old school places like Waffle House and McDonalds serve the best stuff."

Ditto from a 46 year old.


28 posted on 02/04/2007 10:12:57 AM PST by neal1960 (This space for rent.)
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To: Millee

McDonalds knows to not burn the coffee.


29 posted on 02/04/2007 10:14:39 AM PST by RightWhale (300 miles north of Big Wild Life)
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To: Grampa Dave; Millee
Jack in the Box has awaken to this reality, and Jack is now selling breakfast all day with some very good coffee to go with his Biscuit breakfasts.

Jack's is pretty darn good.

But in my area it has the cachet of being The Place Where The Illegal Alien Labor (and Marty) Eats

30 posted on 02/04/2007 10:35:13 AM PST by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: Millee

just look for all the cop cars


31 posted on 02/04/2007 10:36:37 AM PST by wallcrawlr
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To: Condor 63
Like I said, I'm probably just at that age where I'd rather my joe be served up by a gal that calls me "sugar" than one of our young, tattooed bohemians with attitude we have workin' at Sb. LOL

LOL. Yes it always amuses me that the modern equivalent of the soda jerk can believe they are high enough on any totem pole to develop an attitude.
32 posted on 02/04/2007 10:50:39 AM PST by festus (The constitution may be flawed but its a whole lot better than what we have now.)
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To: Millee

My favorite coffee is the House Blend at Holiday gas stations. I used to go to Starbucks for cappuccino, but I gave up on that for the sake of my arteries.


33 posted on 02/04/2007 12:13:26 PM PST by lesser_satan (EKTHELTHIOR!!!)
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To: Millee
Starbucks = motor oil

McD = Castor oil

Home brew = Priceless.

34 posted on 02/04/2007 12:18:58 PM PST by Pistolshot (Condi 2008.<------added January 2004. Remember you heard it here first)
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To: martin_fierro

Your papers please or your green card are required for any eat in orders. :)


35 posted on 02/04/2007 12:33:53 PM PST by Grampa Dave (GW has more Honor and Integrity in his little finger than ALL of the losers on the "hate Bush" band)
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To: dighton

Yes, but back then $2.50 was an eighth of an ounce of gold. Gold is approx. $640.00/ounce now. So your Tournados of beef or Maryland terrepin costs you $80, or your half chicken is $40 in gold terms. FWIW.


36 posted on 02/04/2007 12:49:13 PM PST by DeaconBenjamin2
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To: rrc

"big starbucks fan here, always will be. "

Yea, I don’t get the gas station/fast food joint coffee is better crowd either – too bland – too weak. I like my coffee like I like my men – tall, strong, dark, deep and full-bodied – LOL!

I prefer Starbucks over most but I really like my local independent coffee shop the best – great coffee, everyone knows me by name and I know all them – if I want a medium sugar-free, skim milk Caramel Macchiato with an extra shot, all I have to say is “give me the usual”, they have comfy couches, a fireplace, host art shows and open mike nights for local talent, game and chess boards and a free lending library/book exchange – it’s my second home.

When I want whole coffee beans for home brewing there’s a company in Baltimore that sells coffee beans that are freshly roasted on-site. Just the smell of the place makes me crazy…Kona and Jamaican Blue Mountain are my favorites.

I also like Dunkin Donuts whole bean coffee and I did laugh at the DD commercial that makes fun of Starbucks – Tall, Grande, Venti – “Is it French or is it Italian, perhaps it’s Fritalian …at Dunkin Donuts you order in English”.

Of course the irony of that commercial is that no one speaks English in any of our local DD’s – all the franchises are owned by Indians (and I don’t mean Seminoles).


37 posted on 02/04/2007 1:24:37 PM PST by Caramelgal (Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead.)
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To: rrc

"...i love the starbucks atmosphere when i have one in there too..."

I don't linger, but I do carefully look over the CD offerings. Some are great discoveries.


38 posted on 02/04/2007 1:35:23 PM PST by truth_seeker
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To: ShadowDancer

What a shocker!


39 posted on 02/04/2007 7:39:54 PM PST by NoCurrentFreeperByThatName (You lie, cheat and steal.)
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