McDonald's chef spills why their coffee 'tastes better' as thousands name it as their go-to each morning

Daily Mail​

19-05-2025

Australians have always been serious about starting their morning with a good coffee - and there's a reason thousands have named McDonald's as their go-to spot.
A recent Fox News report confirmed that McDonald's McCafe coffee was highly rated by a loyal following of customers, who said it offered 'understated quality' - perhaps to the surprise of coffee aficionados.
McDonald's chef Mike Lingo then provided the US media outlet with rare insight into the reason why the fast-food giant's coffee 'tastes better'.
Mike, who is the senior manager of innovation in the US head office, explained that the food chain had long been a foundational McDonald's menu item, appearing on the menu as early as 1948.
As a result, the McDonald's chef said the company had subsequently spent decades perfecting their coffee offering.
Mike described the beloved McCafe blend as 'a medium-dark roast with a full-body fruity, floral and chocolate note'.
Although there isn't one closely guarded secret ingredient behind the taste of Macca's coffee, the chef explained that the unique flavour was a result of a combination of factors.
'From the selection of our beans and quality of our roast to the equipment we use, we're paying attention to all the details to help ensure the best result,' he said.
The coffee blend is currently made from 100 per cent Arabica coffee beans sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms, or farms participating the McCafe Sustainability Improvement Platform (SIP) program.
In Australia, Macca's sells an average of 600,000 cups of coffee per day, which is equivalent to around one in every four coffees sold in the country each day.
FEMAIL spoke to a McDonalds Australia spokesperson, who confirmed that Aussies are dedicated to the getting their caffeine fix at Maccas.
'With over 1,000 locations in Australia, McCafe is now one of the largest coffee retailers in the country, representing an impressive one in every four coffees sold in Australia,' the spokesperson said.
They added that the Aussie branch of the global business was especially proud of having pioneered the McCafe brand - with that success rolled out to McCafe locations worldwide.
'McCafe changed McDonald's approach to coffee across the world - inventing a new way of serving our customers and defining what it means to offer great-quality, barista-made coffee in our restaurants.'
However, the spokesperson hinted that the fast food giant is by now means resting on its laurels - hinting that customers might have already recently 'noticed some changes to the McCafe blend'.
'[W]e're excited to share more details on that asap!' they added.
Indeed, on social media platform Reddit, numerous threads are dedicated to heaping praise on the taste and quality of Aussie McCafe coffee.
'McDonalds coffee in Australia is often amazing,' read one lengthy comment, which concluded with the defiant statement, 'Screw the snobs'.
Another commenter was impressed by the consistency of the caffeinated beverage across various stores, describing it as 'solid' and 'better than some actual cafes'.
A similar comment echoed that it was as a 'reliable' coffee option - adding that they was always preferable over 'a complete gamble' of an unknown café.
Another added that it was obvious from the flavour that 'McDonalds takes it coffee very seriously'.
In a similar vein, some commenters noted that Maccas appeared to take extra care with the quality of their coffee within Australian stores from the get-go.
'I think Maccas did this deliberately because they knew they were up against the Aussie coffee culture, and maybe it made sense on the bottom line to put quality in. It damn well worked, they've got the early riser coffee drinker market fully captured,' said one observer.
'Absolutely,' echoed a follow-on reply. 'They knew Australia has a very strong coffee culture when they started McCafe. That meant they knew that in order to be relevant they had to be able to serve a decent cup of coffee.'
One surprised overseas traveller even declared that a flat white purchased from a local Maccas was the 'best coffee I ever remember'.
McDonald's first launched McCafe in Melbourne back in 1993, with the Victorian city chosen as a nod to the city's reputation as Australia's coffee capital.
The McCafe brand has since grown into over 1000 stores across Australia and has also grown overseas, with more than 4000 outlets in 60 countries around the world.