Tim Hortons vs McDonald’s Coffee: Taste, Price and Which Is Better
Tim Hortons vs McDonald’s coffee is one of the oldest debates in Canada. Tims is the Canadian classic that built its name on the double double, while McDonald’s McCafé has quietly won a long list of taste tests and reader polls with a smoother, cheaper cup.
In this guide I compare the two on taste, price, iced coffee, beans and quality, and health, using results from Canadian taste tests and polls. I also clear up the popular claim that McDonald’s uses the old Tims coffee, and help you pick the right cup for how you drink it.
Tim Hortons vs McDonald’s Coffee at a Glance
Here is the quick comparison before we get into the details:
Category | Tim Hortons | McDonald’s McCafé |
|---|---|---|
Beans | 100% Arabica, medium Original Blend | 100% Arabica Premium Roast |
Black coffee taste | Bolder, a little bitter or acidic | Smoother, milder, less bitter |
With cream and sugar | Double double is a fan favourite | Pleasant but less iconic |
Medium hot coffee price | $1.92 with tax | $1.31 with tax |
Iced coffee | Won MTL Blog’s iced coffee test | Called too coffee forward |
Big poll wins | Number 2 in Narcity’s 2025 reader poll | Number 1 in Maclean’s 2017 and Narcity’s 2025 polls |
The short answer is that McDonald’s usually wins for black coffee and price, while Tim Hortons wins for the double double and iced coffee.
Tim Hortons vs McDonald’s Coffee Prices
Hot Coffee Price
These are the medium hot coffee prices paid in Narcity’s May 2025 taste test, including tax. Your local price can differ by province and restaurant.
McDonald’s Medium Coffee
🏷️ $1.31
Tim Hortons Medium Coffee
🏷️ $1.92
Iced Coffee Price
These are the medium iced coffee prices paid in MTL Blog’s 2023 iced coffee test, after tax. Prices have likely changed since then.
Tim Hortons Medium Iced Coffee
🏷️ $2.86
McDonald’s Medium Iced Coffee
🏷️ $2.98
Which Coffee Tastes Better?
Most taste tests agree that McDonald’s black coffee is smoother and less bitter. In Narcity’s 2025 test of five fast food coffees, each ordered as a medium with one milk and one sugar, McDonald’s scored 4.5 out of 5 for being smooth, not bitter and not too sweet. Tim Hortons scored 3.5 out of 5, with the tester calling it strong and smooth but a little bitter and not very memorable. A Narcity comparison in September 2026 found the same pattern, describing McDonald’s as a smooth, low acid medium roast and the Tims cup as noticeably more acidic.
Tims fans have a different view. Many say Tims tastes best as a double double, with two creams and two sugars, and some video reviewers rate McDonald’s higher for black coffee but Tims higher once cream and sugar go in. So the better coffee depends on how you take it. If you drink it black, McDonald’s is the safer pick. If you love a double double, Tims still has the edge.
Tim Hortons vs McDonald’s Coffee Price
McDonald’s is usually the cheaper cup. In Narcity’s 2025 test, a medium McCafé coffee cost $1.31 with tax, compared with $1.92 for a medium Tims coffee, a difference of about 60 cents.
Tims makes up some of the gap with Tims Rewards, where regular customers earn points toward free drinks and food. If you buy coffee every day and use the app, the real price difference can be smaller than it looks. You can see current Tims prices on my Tim Hortons coffee menu guide.
Iced Coffee: Tims Takes the Win
Iced coffee flips the result. In MTL Blog’s iced coffee test, a medium with milk and sugar from four chains, Tim Hortons scored a perfect 5 out of 5 for its balance of sweetness and coffee flavour, its easy sip lid and a good ice to coffee ratio. McDonald’s scored 3.5 out of 5, with the tester finding it too coffee forward and unbalanced. Tims was also slightly cheaper at $2.86 compared with $2.98 for McDonald’s.
If you are an iced coffee drinker, Tims is the stronger choice. For more cold options, see my Tim Hortons drinks menu and Tim Hortons Iced Capp guides.
What Do the Polls Say?
McDonald’s has won the biggest public polls. In 2017, more than 15,000 people voted on Maclean’s Coffee Ranker for the best chain coffee in Canada, and McDonald’s took first place, pushing Tim Hortons out of the top spot. In Narcity’s 2025 reader poll, Canadians again ranked McDonald’s first and Tim Hortons second, ahead of Second Cup, A&W and Starbucks.
Even so, Tims remains a daily habit for many Canadians. Convenience, the double double and Tims Rewards keep many people loyal even when polls favour McDonald’s.
Does McDonald’s Use the Old Tim Hortons Coffee?
This is one of the most repeated claims online. On Reddit and Facebook, many people say McDonald’s switched to the supplier that Tims used years ago, so McCafé tastes like the old Tims blend. Some name Mother Parkers as that supplier.
Neither Tim Hortons nor McDonald’s has confirmed this, and I could not find an official source that backs it up. What is confirmed is that both chains advertise 100% Arabica beans, and McDonald’s launched McCafé across Canada in November 2011. Treat the old Tims blend story as a popular theory rather than a fact.
Is Tim Hortons High Quality Coffee?
Tims uses 100% Arabica beans in its Original Blend, which is a medium, balanced roast, and it has a policy of serving coffee within 20 minutes of brewing. That puts it in the same quality range as most fast food coffee. It is not a specialty coffee, but it is consistent and built for drinking with cream and sugar.
McDonald’s McCafé Premium Roast is also made from 100% Arabica beans, and many tasters find it smoother. Both are good quality for fast food coffee. Neither will match a specialty café, but both deliver a reliable cup at a low price.
Which Is Healthier, Tim Hortons or McDonald’s Coffee?
Plain black coffee from either chain has almost no calories, so neither is healthier on its own. The difference comes from what you add. Cream, sugar, flavour shots and sweet iced drinks add calories and sugar quickly, and a double double adds more than a coffee with just milk.
If you want the healthiest order, get a black coffee or add only milk at either chain. If you want a sweet treat, choose a smaller size and fewer sugars.
Which Coffee Should You Choose?
Pick based on how you drink your coffee:
If You Want | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
Smooth black coffee | McDonald’s | Less bitter and lower acidity in taste tests |
The cheapest cup | McDonald’s | About 60 cents less for a medium |
A double double | Tim Hortons | Fans say Tims tastes best with cream and sugar |
Iced coffee | Tim Hortons | Won MTL Blog’s iced coffee test |
Rewards on daily coffee | Tim Hortons | Tims Rewards points toward free items |
A coffee with breakfast | Either | Pair Tims with a sandwich from the Tim Hortons breakfast menu |
Final Thoughts
The Tim Hortons vs McDonald’s coffee debate does not have one winner. McDonald’s wins most taste tests and polls for smooth black coffee, and it is usually cheaper. Tim Hortons wins for the classic double double, for iced coffee and for daily value with Tims Rewards. Try both the way you normally drink coffee, and let your own taste decide. For the full Tims lineup, see the Tim Hortons menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jordan Ellis
Hi, I’m Jordan. I started this site because finding current Tim Hortons prices online was harder than it should be, and most menu pages I came across were years out of date. I check prices against the official Tim Hortons app and website, and I keep every page updated whenever prices, sizes, or items change. If something doesn’t match what you’re seeing at your local store, message me through the contact page, and I’ll look into it.
