'Taste test: the little joes take on Starbucks'

I simply couldn't resist a headline like that above, which appeared over a March 27 USA Today story about a one-man taste taste by Jerry Shriver (the paper's food and wine critic) of the "new and improved" coffee at McDonald's against a bunch of other frequently imbibed decoctions.

And the winner is... Starbucks, by a [coffee] country mile.

Here's the article.

Taste test: The little joes take on Starbucks

Hope is brewing for us caffeine-craving commoners who have overdosed on upscale java jive of the past decade.

So much attention has been paid to the fancy end of the market that it's easy to forget that "regular, cream, no sugar" still accounts for a significant chunk of the $8.3 billion in annual U.S. coffee sales.

So when McDonald's restaurants launched an upgraded version of its basic coffee called Premium Roast, I set out to see how it stacked up against the comparable versions served by other mass-market competitors.

Although I'm a food and wine critic, I'm also just an ordinary coffee lover, and I approached this project as such.

Over 10 days I visited Manhattan outlets of McDonald's, 7-Eleven, Burger King, Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks.

At each place, I ordered a small, regular, normal-strength brewed coffee, black, no sugar, and either a pastry or a breakfast sandwich.

For all five purveyors, I visited two different outlets.

I assigned to every cup a rating of one to five slurps, based on flavor and value, and then averaged the results from the two visits for a final score.

I'm pleased to report that the lessons of the upscale coffee revolution increasingly are filtering downward.

Stiffer competition and heightened consumer awareness have triggered an overall improvement in bean quality and flavor; there were no real losers in my limited survey.

But consistency still appears to pose a challenge for some purveyors.

Of course, the variations in flavor might have been affected by my own taste buds, too, which can react differently because of the food I just ate or many other factors.

And, keep in mind that this was a brief sampling from one city and not necessarily reflective of the chain's quality nationwide.


Dunkin' Donuts Original Blend
• Smallest serving: 10 ounces.
• Price(approx): $1.19.
• Beans: 100% Arabica from Central and South America.
• Company's description: Classic, smooth, delicious.

The Original Blend has won raves from many consumers, which is why I was mystified by how mundane my two samples tasted. Though there were no obvious flaws, nothing stood out. Both cups had faint, nutty aromas, watery textures and flavors that turned more acidic as the liquid cooled. The flavor of the second cup was marginally better with some bright fruity notes, but both were missing that essential jolt of coffee essence in the middle.
Verdict: 2 slurps out of five.


7-Eleven Regular Exclusive Blend
• Smallest serving: 12 ounces.
• Price (approx.): $1.10.
• Beans: Blend includes 100% Arabica beans from Central America and Brazil.
• Company's description: A well-balanced, medium-bodied blend... with a nutty, slightly sweet flavor.Both samples were fairly one-dimensional brews with muted aromas, watery textures and a flavor that strayed too far toward tobacco. The aroma of my second cup improved as the liquid cooled. In both instances the sugar from my glazed donut blunted the tobacco notes, but they re-emerged once I finished the pastry.
Verdict: 2 slurps out of five.


Burger King BK Joe
• Smallest serving: 12 ounces.
• Price (approx.): 99 cents.
• Beans: 100% Arabica from Central and South America.
• Company's description: Smooth, medium-bodied.

Give the BK Joe, which was introduced last fall in decaf, regular and "turbo-strength" versions, points for consistency if not for exceptional flavor. My two cups of regular performed exactly the same: faintly nutty and sweet aromas; medium bodies; and relatively mild, balanced, mainstream flavors that intensified slightly as the liquid cooled. No characteristic, either good or bad, stood out. I, however, prefer more vibrancy.
Verdict: 2½ slurps out of five.


McDonald's Premium Roast
• Smallest serving: 12 ounces.
• Price (approx.): 89 cents.
• Beans: 100% Arabica, South America.
• Company's description: Full-bodied, robust... smoother than before.

My first sample of the "smooth" version (some outlets also offer a "bold" style) displayed an aroma of roasted nuts, a smooth, medium body and a pleasantly rounded taste that stayed consistent. But two days later a cup tasted slightly off. The aroma was sharper, and the flavors suggested a bit of tobacco, although some cocoa notes emerged as it cooled. It was still good, but something had upset the balance.
Verdict: 3½ slurps out of five.


Starbucks House Blend
• Smallest serving: 12 ounces.
• Price (approx.): $1.40-$1.65.
• Beans: 100% Arabica from Latin America.
• Company's description: A light-bodied blend featuring a vibrant acidity and clean, balanced flavors.

The first cup was a knockout, as it should have been for $1.65 for 12 ounces. This was a dead-serious brew with an intense bitter chocolate aroma, a silky texture and a complex, fruity, almost wine-like flavor. The finish lasted at least a minute. Two days later another cup was almost as good, although the fruitiness had receded and the espresso characteristic was more prominent, resulting in a slightly less-balanced brew.
Verdict: 4½ slurps out of five.

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I'd never heard of Shannon Wheeler's "Too Much Coffeeman" comic strip until I went hunting for an illustration for this post; I also found this one

quite amusing.