Mira Nabulsi holding three iced coffees from fast food restaurants in Canada.
This Opinion article is part of a Narcity Media series. The views expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
With summer finally here, grabbing your favourite iced coffee is basically a staple for any afternoon walk. But, with this lavish lifestyle comes a steep cost unless you buy your java from fast food restaurants in Canada.
If you're a coffee lover like myself, the taste of a cold and crisp drink during the warmest days of the year really matters to you. In other words, not just any cup of cheap iced coffee will do because you prefer flavour over cost.
Mind you, I need tips on saving a few bucks, so don't come to me for money-saving advice, but I will definitely tell you what tastes best. In my books, that's all that matters.
Iced coffee from fast food restaurants in Canada.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
So, I took it upon myself to try iced coffees from McDonald's, Tim Hortons and Starbucks to tell you which is best for your buck without compromising on taste.
These are some of the biggest fast-food chains in my Toronto neighbourhood that offer reasonably cheap coffee. However, the definition of iced coffee varies quite drastically between the three stores, which caught me by surprise.
Some of the iced coffees have varieties of milk, sweeteners, cream and coffee, which to me feel more like a flavoured iced latte, but regardless, here's how the taste test played out.
McDonald's
McCafe Iced Coffee.
Price: $1
What's in the iced coffee: 100% Arabica beans, cream, and your choice of flavoured coffee syrup, which includes caramel, hazelnut, French vanilla and sugar-free French vanilla.
What it tasted like: When I ordered my McDonald's iced coffee on the app, it didn't give me the option to choose the flavour. Instead, I kept it as it was to keep the taste test fair. The small-sized drink came with one serving of cream, liquid flavour and ice.
To those who enjoy a sweet coffee drink, this might be the choice for you. For $1, you can get an iced coffee that tastes like sugar sans the coffee.
Seriously, I couldn't taste coffee at all! It tasted like a cup of pure sugar and I honestly can't even tell you what the "liquid flavour" was.
Even though this coffee only costs a dollar, I would gladly save that dollar to buy a coffee elsewhere at double the price.
Score: 1/5
Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons Iced Coffee.
Price: $2.30
What's in it: A typical Iced Coffee from Tim Hortons includes one cream and a pump of cane sugar syrup with coffee.
What it tasted like: Compared to the McDonald's one, Tim Hortons had a sweet-tasting beverage that also included hints of coffee, which checks the right boxes if you're looking for a bit of both.
It tasted like a dessert, but if I were looking for a sweet beverage from Timmies, it would definitely be the Iced Capp over an iced coffee from the fast food chain.
Regardless, the coffee was good. I'd be cautious of the fact that if you are looking for a cold and cheap caffeine boost, this should not be your go-to, mainly because I felt a sugar rush more than a caffeine boost.
For $2.30, maybe a bit of both in the afternoon isn't always a bad thing, so I'm staying neutral about this one. However, I wouldn't suggest getting a Tim Hortons donut with it because you might be in for a sugar crash afterward.
Score: 3/5
Starbucks
Starbucks iced Coffee.
Price: $3.83
What's in it: A Starbucks Iced Coffee has three pumps of classic syrup sweetener, coffee, water and ice.
What it tasted like: Compared to the other two iced coffees, Starbucks' version is dairy-free. Of course, if you prefer milk or cream in yours, you can ask for it, but I enjoyed the taste and kept it as is.
In other words, the iced coffee literally tasted like what it was supposed to be... iced coffee.
Naturally, the sweetener in the cup made things a little sugary but it wasn't overpowering at all, rather it complemented the bitterness of the coffee quite well.
This is the only cup of coffee I actually finished from the taste test above and I felt fine about it.
Score: 5/5
Final thoughts
Mira holding her three coffees.
Now that I've tried iced coffees from three of the biggest fast food chains in Canada, I can tell you that Starbucks, even though I tried really hard not to be basic and predictable, had the best iced coffee.
However, I should mention that the iced coffee you think tastes best for you will depend on the type of coffee drinker you typically are.
Do you like the taste of the coffee? Do you prefer a sweeter beverage? Do you drink your coffee black or do you like to cut it with milk or cream?
I usually have espresso-based coffee or black coffee at home with some milk but never sugar or sweeteners.
I do get creative with some of Starbucks' refreshing beverages, but that's only when I'm in the mood for something different. Otherwise, java is the way to go.
People are huge fans of Tim Hortons' coffees, but I think the Iced Capp beats the Iced Coffee any day. It's creamy, sugary and has hints of coffee, making it a refreshing summer beverage. It also doesn't pretend to be anything less than a dessert in a cup because you know going in that it'll be full of cream and sugar.
Nevertheless, Tim Hortons Iced Coffee is the way to go if you are looking for something lighter. A small is 113 calories compared to 229 calories in an Original Iced Capp.
Meanwhile, McDonald's Iced Coffee was not good. I understand that I paid a dollar for the beverage, but still, it hurts me to think of it. It was a cup of sugar... pure sugar.
Don't believe me? Try it out for yourself, and let me know your thoughts.