McDonald’s really wants you to drink its coffee! The fast-food giant is battling against Starbucks, Taco Bell and Dunkin’ Donuts to capture a greater share of the breakfast market. But can the burger chain reinvent the wheel when it comes to coffee? And can the public embrace coffee from a place that serves McNuggets?
Here are five ways McDonald’s is ramping up their coffee game:
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1. Free coffee, again.
In April of this year, McDonald’s offered free cups of coffee during breakfast hours for two weeks. Now that it’s fall, the chain is renewing their complimentary coffee offer, which is from Sept. 16-29.
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2. McCafe to hit grocery store shelves.
Like Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts, McDonald’s has decided to expand its coffee offerings to the home brewer. Next year, fans of McCafe will be able to buy the burger chain’s signature roasts in grocery stores. According to the LA Times, McDonald’s will offering several roasts including breakfast blend, decaf, and French in 12-ounce bags and ready-to-brew pods.
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3. Jumping on the Pumpkin Spice bandwagon.
Pumpkin spice flavor is everywhere. But McDonald’s only began offering the fall favorite to it’s menu last year. But apparently, it won’t be available at every location so Starbucks will likely stay on top of the #PSL battle.
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4. Expanding pastry offerings.
What makes good coffee even better? How about something sweet on the side. Last year, Starbucks acquired La Boulange bakery in an effort to boost premium snacks and pastries. This year, McDonald’s began testing mini bundt cakes in select Florida markets. The little cakes come in three varieties: classic cinnamon coffee cake, lemon and double chocolate.
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5. Amped up fruity drinks.
Fresh, flavorful…and healthy? McDonald’s has tried to capture the non-coffee cafe crowd with a range of fruit smoothies and fruit iced teas. This is similar to Starbucks Shaken line.
