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What large chain restaurant/coffee shop has the best coffee?
- Thread starter fluffydelusions
- Start date
Who the fuck said Starbucks? Omg. That is the worst tasting excuse for coffee I have ever tasted.
It's consistently average and is consistently average in every single outlet. How they became a massive corporate is amazing. Either they have sheep as customers who have no clue what a good coffee is, or their marketing department is just amazing.
0/10
It's consistently average and is consistently average in every single outlet. How they became a massive corporate is amazing. Either they have sheep as customers who have no clue what a good coffee is, or their marketing department is just amazing.
0/10
I've actually heard this before. This genuinely surprises me.
Pyramid head
Banned
This has been my experience too. Here in the UK, I can go between Starbucks, Nero and Costa, and have had great and shitty coffee from all of them
Soapbox Killer
Grand Nagus
Beautiful!
DUNKIN' 2nd
Starbucks 3rd
Also: while I'm typing this a Wawa commercial comes on. Do they call them Hogies at Wawa in other states?
In Canada at least the quality of McDs coffee is surprisingly good. My go to for a quick cheap coffee.
A lot of Starbucks most popular items aren't pure coffee. It's the shit with 50% milk, whipped cream, sugary syrups, chocolate etc. They have delicious desert coffee.
A lot of Starbucks most popular items aren't pure coffee. It's the shit with 50% milk, whipped cream, sugary syrups, chocolate etc. They have delicious desert coffee.
FinalStageBoss
Banned
McDonald's
pinsomniac
Member
Philz, but honestly McDonald's is good enough & certainly the best value.
I mean, big chain, I would say Starbucks. Peets is more hit and miss in my opinion, crazy mocha always tastes week. The fast food locations always have burnt folgers-esque crap. Dunkin tastes like they keep reusing wet coffee grounds.
So process of elimination, Starbucks because they will always do a pour over at no extra charge.
Go to your local coffee shops people.
So process of elimination, Starbucks because they will always do a pour over at no extra charge.
Go to your local coffee shops people.
Boy Wander
Member
Starbucks is filth. Most of it is like baby's bottle - tastes like warm milk. I'd probably say Costa or Cafe Nero in the UK.
Not surprising. They transformed a coffee shop to a shitty overpriced fast food restaurant.
I just can't believe they still use those crappy coffee lids
DJ_Lae
Member
If I'm forced to go to some sort of chain, I'll probably pick Second Cup. But while some of their blends are good (Paradiso is pretty consistent, if unremarkable) I have had a couple of truly disgusting roasts before. Thankfully they seemed to be seasonal one-offs or simply had lots of complaints.
Agreed, and pretty much everything at Tims is awful other than the Iced Capp, though that one starts tasting like chemicals near the bottom.
I remember when they used to serve good food, but I don't know how much of that is true and how much of it's based on my palate as a kid.
McDonald's coffee is surprisingly decent.
Agreed, and pretty much everything at Tims is awful other than the Iced Capp, though that one starts tasting like chemicals near the bottom.
I remember when they used to serve good food, but I don't know how much of that is true and how much of it's based on my palate as a kid.
McDonald's coffee is surprisingly decent.
Boy Wander
Member
In the UK, McDonald's coffee is hotter than molten iron. If you get it drive thru, you need to drive about a hundred miles before attempting your first sip.
Auron_Kale
Member
For me:
Philz Coffee
Blue Bottle Coffee
Dunkin Donuts (but they're still not that common here in California)
Starbucks (if only for consistency when traveling)
And yes, Temple Coffee Roasters out in Sacramento is great. Only place that's open super early when doing races in the capital.
Philz Coffee
Blue Bottle Coffee
Dunkin Donuts (but they're still not that common here in California)
Starbucks (if only for consistency when traveling)
And yes, Temple Coffee Roasters out in Sacramento is great. Only place that's open super early when doing races in the capital.
Auron_Kale
Member
Eh, I consider them a chain as they're a number of them here in the Bay Area, but even then, I find their actual coffee to be just okay if I'm getting either their single-origin or iced New Orleans.
Philz is way better for their variety of roasts and specialty drinks.
newtypepilot
Member
In Canada,
McDonalds > Tim Hortons
Blenz > Starbucks
McDonalds > Tim Hortons
Blenz > Starbucks
iPaul93
Member
THIS
Though they have those machines in most gas stations too.
Basically anything that's not Starbucks.
torre_avenue
Banned
I don't have a sophisticated palate, but I like Dunkin mainly because their coffee is cheap and they'll mix the milk and stuff before they give it to you.
Ovek
7Member7
I'm not sure what is so great about Dunkin'
I never had it before I moved to Chicago. I've had it many times over the last 10 + years, as it is at about every major CTA station. It's a mild roast, that always tastes burnt.
Maybe it's the feelings or senses it evokes? Burnt coffee masking the scent of hobo pee on the Blue or Red lines, that's what Dunkin's is to me.
I've been at Tim Horton's once, but it was in Michigan. It was as awful as Kid Rock.
I never had it before I moved to Chicago. I've had it many times over the last 10 + years, as it is at about every major CTA station. It's a mild roast, that always tastes burnt.
Maybe it's the feelings or senses it evokes? Burnt coffee masking the scent of hobo pee on the Blue or Red lines, that's what Dunkin's is to me.
I've been at Tim Horton's once, but it was in Michigan. It was as awful as Kid Rock.
apieceofstrange
Member
Auron_Kale
Member
Iced Ecstatic (I need it to be sweet and creamy to help me if I want to sleep at night) is my usual goto when at Philz and craving something cold.
Despite my very high caffeine tolerance (energy drinks do nothing for me at all), the iced ecstatic is the only coffee drink I've had that kept me up for most of the night (I had it straight the first time I tried it).
apieceofstrange
Member
Lol yea, definitely been some times I've drank one too late in the night and end up staying up until like 4am unable to fall asleep.
Queen Vulpix
Member
Dunkin Donuts is my favorite when it comes to iced coffee, currently in love with the S'mores Swirl that's for sale during the summer I don't really buy hot coffee often (I like my iced coffee year round despite living in MA!) but I do enjoy Mcdonalds hot coffee.
A Starbucks is FINALLY opening in my city this fall and I can't wait to sell my soul to it as I've wanted it for so long T_T
A Starbucks is FINALLY opening in my city this fall and I can't wait to sell my soul to it as I've wanted it for so long T_T
Technosteve
Banned
Wawa anything else go fuck yourself
Auron_Kale
Member
I'm legit jittery after I finish drinking it and the battle of insomnia is too real.
1. Dunkin
2. Panera (all about that Hazelnut coffee and Mocha Frozen frap)
3. Starbucks
McDonald's black is shit imo (tastes like burnt water to me), but their chocolate chip frappes are ace.
I also wanna mention Peet's since it's getting me through college atm, but I don't really have an accurate judgment of it since I drink Peet's cups out of necessity (and desperation lol).
"Artisan" shops I've tried like Panther Coffee and Kaldi's easily trump these guys at the cost of a premium, obviously.
2. Panera (all about that Hazelnut coffee and Mocha Frozen frap)
3. Starbucks
McDonald's black is shit imo (tastes like burnt water to me), but their chocolate chip frappes are ace.
I also wanna mention Peet's since it's getting me through college atm, but I don't really have an accurate judgment of it since I drink Peet's cups out of necessity (and desperation lol).
"Artisan" shops I've tried like Panther Coffee and Kaldi's easily trump these guys at the cost of a premium, obviously.
The Albatross
Member
I like how consistent Starbucks is, which is something you don't get from the other major chains. For the most part, Starbucks will be predictable and consistent in every location., in every city, all over the US. The only exception is those ones in Barnes and Noble or Target, at least, in B&N, it was run independently and they had B&N employees working there, not Sbux employees.
For other chains like Dunks might be fine in New England or something, but then you go to Florida and it's completely different. Or McDonalds might be fine in one area, but then terrible in another, etc.
It's nothing special, but kinda like McD's for fast food burgers, being really the first major successful fast food coffee chain earned them a lot of brand loyalty
For other chains like Dunks might be fine in New England or something, but then you go to Florida and it's completely different. Or McDonalds might be fine in one area, but then terrible in another, etc.
It's nothing special, but kinda like McD's for fast food burgers, being really the first major successful fast food coffee chain earned them a lot of brand loyalty
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
Even Bux can very wildly IMO.
I feel like coffee varies more from place to place than any other item at a chain.
I'd probably say McDonalds is the best. Though Starbucks Blonde roast is good. Usually all they have is burnt ass Pike's Place though. Dunkin is all over the map too.
I feel like coffee varies more from place to place than any other item at a chain.
I'd probably say McDonalds is the best. Though Starbucks Blonde roast is good. Usually all they have is burnt ass Pike's Place though. Dunkin is all over the map too.