A Review: Starbucks Coffee VS. McDonald’s Coffee

cof·fee
: a hot drink made from the roasted and ground seeds (coffee beans) of a tropical shrub

If you’re subscribed to The T., you’ll know that I was on a five-day McDonald’s coffee binge last week, my attempt to win at their annual monopoly game. My order, a medium premium roast coffee with one cream, totalling C$1.90. When the game ended, I returned to Starbucks, my preferred choice and put in an order for a grande blonde roast with a splash of cream, totalling C$3.06. When I returned home with my Starbucks order, I had to top up the cream, they didn’t get it right, and heat up the already cold coffee. What? That’s when I thought, “why did I pay almost double for coffee from Starbucks when I could have just gone to McDonald’s?”

To my untrained tastebuds, I’m a habitual coffee drinker but certainly no connoisseur, the two coffees taste similar, fine, good, and provide the perceived jolt of energy I need to start my day. My only conclusion, the VIBE. I like the way holding a Starbucks coffee cup makes me feel, like I’m cool. I like the clean design of the cup, and the quirky mermaid logo. I like the colour green. For all those intangible reasons, Starbucks can charge me double for the “same” coffee. Bullseye.🎯

Now to the review. If you want a regular cup of coffee to wake you up or to fulfil a habitual need, go to McDonalds. Their coffee is good and inexpensive, important in this economy. If you want a feeling, you can’t quite explain, go to Starbucks. You’ll pay more but nothing beats the satisfaction of holding a #starbucks cup. I’m inclined to think, after learning this, that I’ll start going to McDonalds for my regular coffees and to Starbucks for specialty coffee drinks only, but who knows what I’ll actually do [probably keep going to Starbucks 🤪].

That is the power of branding.

I’m Adel, founder and chief creative strategist at ATC Inc., a creative strategy studio that supports start-ups with brand building and strategy. Let’s talk.