That was sweetened? The coffee that I had from Jack-in-the-Box was absolutely disgusting. It tasted like black coffee, which I don’t drink. I like McDonald’s iced coffee better.

I think that I started drinking McD coffee before I ever saw the commercial. I think it’s funny that the lady saves her coffee throughout the day. My XL iced coffee lasts two hours tops, and that’s only if I’m too busy working.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicesmooth/2722993725/

Earlier today I stopped by one of approx. 16 or so Starbuck’s located within 4 miles of me and in some Starbuck’s locations they put up a POP sign saying that if you order any size iced coffee unsweetened that it is only 5 calories. HOWEVER it is still up to the barista to ask you if you want it “sweetened” or “unsweetened”. If the barista forgets to ask you then it is SOP @ Starbuck’s to serve it sweetened!

Sorry if I ruined your blog with my comments…

FYI – Jack-in-the-Box now offers a new product line of iced coffee. SADLY it is only available “sweetened” with no POP signs stating that it is “sweetened”! They will NOT make the iced coffee UNSWEETENED!

I now step off my soapbox and wish you happy coffee drinking by going to a store that offers you a choice.

I think you can find Irene Torres on a few CDs (session work, vocals, etc). I believe she is working on her first solo CD. Here’re a few pages at myspace ….

http://www.myspace.com/chicatorres

and

http://www.myspace.com/itorresmusic

Mark

I must confess, I haven’t actually tried the McDonald’s iced coffee. I started this conversation around the TV commercial which I find to be an effective promotion and I was particularly enamored with Irene’s music and sound.

But you’re right, we don’t want to lose sight of the coffee itself. My preference for iced coffee is black, straight-up over ice (no milk, no cream, no sugar). And many single origins, blends and roast levels work great for iced coffee, not just the dark roasts.

Unfortunately, the majority of consumers probably do prefer the sweetened version with milk. Good point about iced tea, why not the same with iced coffee?

I’ve been successful ordering straight iced coffee without the sugar and milk at Starbucks (Pike Place Roast these days).

As you suggest, let the customer add the sugar and milk themseves is better yet. Haven’t tried the iced coffee ant Coffee Bean and Tea. Peet’s is great!

Thanks for your comments.

Mark

BUT have you tried the iced coffee yet?

It is sickeningly sweet… they pump liquid sugar into them.

From their website: Iced Coffee– Regular

CONTAINS: MILK. Liquid Sugar: Sugar, water, potassium sorbate (preservative), citric acid. Ice.

I have been trying to get McDonald’s to change their POP advertising in-store and also on TV and radio spots to inform the consumer that they have SUGAR in them!

At one store I asked Q: “What if your Diabetic?” A: “If you were Diabetic you wouldn’t order something with sugar in it.” My reply was “Where does it tell you the iced coffee has sugar in it?”

Surprisingly they do NOT put sugar in their Iced Tea, so why put it in their iced coffee.

At The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Peet’s Coffee they do NOT put sugar in their iced coffee (they let the customer add sugar or milk themselves)

At Starbuck’s they are supposed to ask you if you want your iced coffee sweetened or unsweetened. My experience has been it depends on which barista takes your order. (Again like McDonald’s nothing in the store advises you that it is available unsweetened.)