Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I haven't had one in decades but just to keep this sandwich going, I will go there and have them.

I've tried the McDonalds Iced Coffee twice in the last few weeks and both time it was so full of sweetened cream it made me want to gag. The second time I ordered it, I asked for mostly coffee and just a tiny bit of cream, and it was still way too much. I gave it back, and asked to just add more coffee and the guy looked at me like I was from Mars. He added more (I guess) but what I got back looked like watered down coffee added at the top. I gave up, and will continue to go to my wonderful local places or Starbucks for my iced coffees in the future. I tried...

McCafés are great for the "misery market" of coffee. But neither Starbucks nor McDonald's not Dunkin' Donuts offer anything above the level of fast food coffee. So it hasn't changed my habits one iota.

ArchieLeach, I don't believe I pass a Starbucks on my way to work, nor is there one near me. Then again, I live in what is very firmly Dunkin territory. Indeed, I think I pass something like 5 Dunkins and there's one in the building.

For regular coffee, I prefer Dunkin. Starbucks is on the bitter side for me. Though, I'd prefer if Dunkin let me mix in my own milk and sweetener.

I'm sure it's a cheap beverage, so you get what you pay for, but it is lamentable that 95% of America will never taste a cup of coffee. Products like this make me angry to the point of not being able to muster a defense, and reminds me that I should spread good coffee, not bash the drugs and candy sold by Wesayso Inc.

I am a coffee snob and here in Milwaukee we have a local vendor called Alterra coffee. They have ridiculously strong coffee. It's like a mule kicked you in your mouth. Anyway that is the way I like it, if I go anywhere else the coffee is too weak for my tastes. Alterra has ruined me for all other coffee, Starbucks doesn't even come close.

The thing with SBUX is that some baristas are good and some aren't. Unlike McDonalds (Don't recall with DD), the barista has some say over whether the foam is good, whether the shots are pulled in a proper time, etc.

So if you can find a barista that knows what they're doing, a macchiato (foam marked with shots) or latte could be pretty tasty. Unfortunately, there's a ton of turnover, so it's hard to get talent and keep it.

That being said, my safe drink is the aforementioned iced coffee with half the amount of hazelnut syrup that they'd normally use "classic" syrup on. Once in a blue moon, I like a mocha macchiato, which is super sweet and doesn't come in sugar free.

If I know/trust the barista, any of the classic non-sweetened drinks can be good.

That's been my experience.

Thanks for the heads up guys on the sugar-free stuff. We have Dunkin Donuts here but they are scarce and out of the way and who doesn't have Starbucks? They just are hectic on the way into work and well, McDonald's is fast and ready. I think they know me!

Any recommendations on what tastes good at Starbucks without going off on a novel?

Diet, Schmiet.

ed levine is winging it once again.... (only kidding, looking very svelt)

"Is that...durian I taste?"

I Eat Your Buffalo Wing! I EAT IT UP!

(insert sound effect: passing gas)