McDonald’s McCafe offers just about any drink you can imagine with the addition of super tasty seasonal offerings. But sometimes you have a craving for a classic like a McDonald’s Latte.
It’s convenient, customizable, and available hot or iced. All these choices make for a delicious drink made just the way you like it. However, all these choices lead to a wide window for caffeine content.
So how much caffeine is in a McDonald’s latte? A 12-ounce McDonald’s latte has 71 mg of caffeine. First, let’s take a peek at McDonald’s coffee in general. Then we’ll dive into the lattes!
McDonald’s McCafe Coffee
McDonald’s boasts that all McCafe coffee is brewed from roasted Arabica coffee beans. Arabica is one of the two main species of commercial coffee, alongside Robusta. Unlike Robusta, Arabica is often sweeter and more flavorful with lower caffeine content.
McCafe coffees are available as light, medium, or dark roast coffees. Each of these has a variable caffeine content based on the roast level but it tends to average out once brewed.
Check out our article on a larger range of McCafe coffee drinks.
McCafe Latte Caffeine Content
There are a variety of factors that make up the caffeine content in a McCafe Latte. Whether or not the latte is hot or iced, flavored or plain, small, or large, and so much more.
You can, of course, always add a shot of espresso or get a decaffeinated version. Both options give you some control over the caffeine content, as well as the flavor.
Let’s take a look at the caffeine content in McCafe lattes served without any customizations.
McDonald’s Latte Caffeine Content
| Beverage | Small (12 oz) | Medium (16 oz) | Large (21-24 oz) |
| Hot Latte | 71 mg | 142 mg | 178 mg |
| Iced Latte | 71 mg | 142 mg | 178 mg |
McDonald’s Flavored Latte Caffeine Content
| Beverage | Small (12 oz) | Medium (16 oz) | Large (21-24 oz) |
| Caramel Latte | 71 mg | 142 mg | 178 mg |
| Cinnamon Cookie Latte | 71 mg | 142 mg | 178 mg |
| French Vanilla Latte | 71 mg | 142 mg | 178 mg |
| Mocha | 86 mg | 167 mg | 200 mg |
As you can see, McCafe latte caffeine content is consistent across the board despite the flavoring. The only exception to this rule is the Mocha latte with slightly higher caffeine content.
Of course, the size plays a major factor and will increase the caffeine content. Likewise, adding a shot of McCafe espresso will increase the caffeine content. A single shot of McCafe espresso contains 71 mg of caffeine whereas a double shot of McCafe espresso contains 142 mg of caffeine.
Variation in Caffeine Content
While the variables are mostly under our control (i.e., adding a shot or ordering decaffeinated versions), there are other variables beyond our control.
McCafe drink sizes sometimes vary regionally and, therefore, the caffeine content is likely to fluctuate with the drink size.
Furthermore, there is always the variable of preparation. Despite training to guarantee consistency, there may be variation based on the preparation of the beverage itself. One McDonald’s may prepare their McCafe drinks stronger or weaker than another location.
Conclusion
While McDonald’s does not publish the caffeine content of their McCafe drinks, you can use this guide as a general idea of the caffeine content in the drinks they offer. The actual caffeine content may vary but, for a 12 oz McCafe Latte, you can expect approximately 71 mg of caffeine.
Read More: What’s the Truth About the McDonald’s Coffee Lawsuit?
Featured Image Credit: Tetiana Horielova, Unsplash
