McDonald’s Named Worst Coffee Chain in America

Americans love their coffee...a LOT. How much? Well, according to the National Coffee Association, Americans spend nearly $110 billion on coffee and related goods per year - that breaks down to approximately $301 million per day. Seeing numbers like that makes my first sentence feel like a bit of an understatement. It feels like we've gone beyond "love" and we're approaching obsession/addiction territory.

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There is no shortage of choices when it comes to coffee, and some are clearly better, or at least more popular, than others. The folks at TCMA Conseil released a list of the worst coffee chains in America, and I was honestly surprised by the results.

What is the Worst Coffee Chain in America?

The unfortunate title of worst coffee chain in America goes to none other than the beloved golden arches of McDonald's. Their coffee might hit the mark if you’re just looking for a quick caffeine fix, but if bold flavor and richness are what you’re after, it tends to fall short. But the reason McDonald's landed at #1 on this list has to do with the cleanliness of the McCafe machines.

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One McDonald’s employee took to Reddit and urged customers to steer clear of the chain’s coffee altogether, saying...

I work for McDonald’s and make sure everyone that matters to me never orders anything that comes out of the McCafe machine, as these are routinely neglected in practically all McDonald's. All McCafe beverages run through a horrifically dirty machine - we’re talking 5+ inches of uncleaned liquid making up its inside parts.

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Indiana Has One of the HIghest Concentrations of McDonald's Locations in America

As of October 2024, there are 352 McDonald's locations throughout the state of Indiana. That number equates to 5.14 McDonald's restaurants per 100,000 people, which is the 6th highest in the country. I found it interesting that our Tri-State neighbors in Kentucky and Illinois are in the top 10, too. Kentucky is #2 with 5.61 locations per 100K people, and Illinois is #7 on the list with 5.10 locations per 100K people.

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Regardless of these results, McDonald's will still be one of my favorite go-to's for breakfast (just not for coffee) and lunch. At this point in my life I don't know if there's anything you can say to make me not love their McMuffins and double cheeseburgers. As for coffee, I'll just stick with my plain-Jane homebrew.

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Gallery Credit: Jake Foster

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The ground floor of McDonald's global headquarters in Chicago features a restaurant with a rotating international menu of food from other countries. Here is a look at 15 distinctive items that have been served at that location.

Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll