I love coffee, but since the price of everything is so expensive these days, I usually brew my own coffee at home in my French press rather than buying it at a store to save some money.
However, when I do want a little caffeinated treat, there's one fast food chain that does coffee better than anyone else, and my pick might surprise you.
In my humble opinion, the best coffee you can get in Canada is from Wendy's.
Back in 2022, the company launched a breakfast menu featuring "a signature medium-roast coffee blend uniquely crafted for [...] Canadian customers" and they absolutely nailed it.
Here's why I hold Wendy's coffee in such high regard and how it fares in comparison to other brews available at Tim Hortons, Second Cup, Starbucks and McDonald's that I ordered at locations in the West End of Toronto.
Wendy's coffee
Sarah holding a large Wendy's coffee.
I drink my coffee black with no sugar, which is how I ordered all the coffees for this comparison.
Wendy's coffee is a medium blend that has a pleasantly fruity taste and depth of flavour that gives me the body I'm looking for without giving the bitterness that darker roasts sometimes have.
It smells strong, tastes smooth, and while this is the cup of coffee I want all the time, it'd be particularly enjoyable during a lazy weekend morning when I have the time to sip away at leisure while scrolling on my phone or catching up with friends.
Because other people don't get Wendy's coffee that much, I find that when I order it at the store in the afternoons they typically are brewing up a new pot for me which means it's fresher than some of the other chains where it may have been sitting there awhile.
Some may find it annoying to wait the five minutes for their coffee to percolate, but I'm generally doing very little with my life so I don't mind!
Taste: 5/5
Price for a small: $1.79
McDonald's
Sarah holding a medium McDonald's coffee.
I'm a big fan of McDonald's coffee, and in fact, it's the brand of beans I keep in my own home for brewing my own drinks.
When it's done right, it's delicious — rich, aromatic and hits all the right notes. It's perfect for long drives as it still tastes great even when it's starting to cool down or has sat for an hour or two, which is not true of all coffees.
I'm also pleased that right now when you order a medium coffee you can play McDonald's Monopoly, which is an exciting time.
The only reason I'm giving it second place is because every so often, I'll pick up a McDonald's coffee that has an unexpectedly bitter taste — I totally understand that there can be variations in beans, brewing, etc., but when I do (rarely) get a bitter one, it's usually undrinkable unless I add milk and sugar.
Taste: 4/5
Price for a small: $1.59
Second Cup
Sarah holding a medium Second Cup coffee.
I grew up drinking Second Cup coffee with my friends after high school, so this brew definitely has a nostalgic taste for me.
For this test, I ordered the medium roast and found it to have a bit of an acrid but not unpleasant taste as well as nice caramel notes.
Despite that, I would classify this as a utilitarian coffee — this is what you order at 3 p.m., not necessarily to enjoy but rather to chug and get some caffeine into your body ASAP before you hit that dreaded slump.
At almost $1 more than the previous two on the list, I'd pick the cheaper options to do a better and tastier job.
Taste: 3.5/5
Price for a small: $2.55
Starbucks
Sarah holding a tall Starbucks coffee.
The bitterness hits right at the front of the tongue — not in an unpleasant way — and this coffee tastes like the first cup of the day that you gulp down before you even consider opening Slack or your emails.
The reason for my somewhat lower rating is that Starbucks coffee does not taste very good once it's cooled, but when it's piping hot, I'll guzzle it down, no problem.
Taste: 3/5
Price for a small/tall: $2.35
Tim Hortons
Sarah holding a small Tim Hortons coffee.
Ahh, Timmies. I want to love your coffee (I really do!) but you do make it difficult.
Tim Hortons coffee is bad. It doesn't smell appealing, and quite honestly, it tastes like bitter water rather than a caffeinated brew. The only redeeming quality of this coffee is that it somehow tastes better cold than hot, but even then, it's not something I'd want to be drinking.
In fact, if I did need some caffeine and my only option was Tim Hortons, I'd likely order a Diet Pepsi (they don't carry Diet Coke, which I prefer) or order a tea and pair it with a sugary doughnut for a bit of an energy boost.
Sorry, Tims — for coffee, you're in last place, but that's not to say I dislike everything the company does. In fact, their chocolate chip muffins and Timbits are usually what I crave when I want a sweet treat, and the best hangover cure in the world is a big bowl of Tim Hortons chicken noodle soup with that little bun it comes with it.
Taste: 1/5
Price for a small: $1.59
Other than Tims, I'd have no problem ordering any of these coffees if I wanted a beverage, but if it's convenient, I'll always stop at Wendy's above the others!
These prices are confirmed at the time of publishing, but they can change at any time. Taxes and fees may not be included.
Iced coffee from fast food restaurants in Canada.
