No to McDonald’s Iced Coffee!

So last night I spent my meal break with my team at McDonald’s along Emerald Avenue at Strata 1000.  I noticed that they have this ad about the McDonald’s Iced Coffee and I wanted to try it out.  It says there you can get your drink upgraded to Iced Coffee.  You just need to add 10 Pesos (Medium) and 15 Pesos (Large) for Regular Iced Coffee and 20 Pesos (Medium) and 25 Pesos (Large) for the Vanilla variant with a value meal.  I mean seriously?  Just to put ice on your coffee you have to pay that much?  Then why not order the regular meal with coffee and just ask for ice?  Hahaha!  Now if you don’t wanna be thrifty as me you can buy it separate.  It would usually cost from 39 to 55 Pesos.

Upgrade to Iced Coffee

Buy it separate

As I’ve said… why would I pay 10 Pesos to have ice put on my coffee that comes free with the breakfast meal that I ordered?  Are ice cubes worth 10 Pesos or even 25?  So I asked the lady if the one on the ad is the Regular Iced Coffee or the Vanilla Iced Coffee.  Here’s how the conversation went.

Me: Miss is that the Vanilla Iced Coffee on the picture or is that the Regular Iced Coffee? (obviously I know it’s the Vanilla but had to double check)

Cashier Lady: So you want to upgrade to Ice Coffee sir?

Me: NO!  I’m asking if that’s the Regular one or the Vanilla (cause I wouldn’t want to pay 25 Pesos for them to just add ice on my coffee)

Cashier Lady: 25 Pesos additional po for Iced Coffee.

Me: Nevermind!  I’ll just have the 2 piece pan cake meal please. (scratching my head)

Obviously she doesn’t know what she’s selling or she wasn’t just paying attention.

The Iced Coffee Ad

I also don’t understand why the McDonald’s Philippines website doesn’t have a Nutrition Chart nor is it available in any of the stores of McDonald’s.  I found this on their US website and I think all fast food restaurants should come up with such.

I researched further and found a few blogs that describes the horror of drinking this coffee.  Good thing I didn’t buy it!   After reading an article about it I might just not want to drink their coffee period.

Ingredients for McDonald’s Vanilla Iced Coffee:

Premium Roast Coffee. Light Cream: Milk, cream, sodium phosphate, sodium polyphosphate, DATEM, sodium stearoyl lactylate, tetra sodium pyrophosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium citrate, carrageenan. CONTAINS: MILK. Vanilla Syrup: Sugar, water, fructose, natural (plant source) and artificial flavor, caramel color (with sulfites), potassium sorbate (preservative), citric acid, malic acid. Ice.

What the heck are these?

I’ll spare us from checking the list for the sugar-free version. Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients for a Vanilla Iced Coffee, shall we?  (The information sources are linked to the chemical names.)

sodium phosphate – it is “used to treat constipation and to clean the bowel before surgery, x-rays, endoscopy, or other intestinal procedures. Sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate enemas are also used for general care after surgery and to help relieve impacted bowels.”

Doesn’t it make sense now why so many people are complaining that McDonald’s Iced Coffee gives them diarrhea?  People are getting sick left and right, but they tell themselves it’s due to extra caffeine, and continue drinking it since they like the taste.  It is not the caffeine!  Don’t let this happen to you!

sodium polyphosphate – adds texture and used as an emulsifier to prevent ingredients from clumping together.

DATEM – an acronym for Diacetyl tartaric acid ester of monoglyceride, and it is used for emulsification and foaming.

sodium stearoyl lactylate – a solid powder irritating to eyes and skin, and hazardous in case of inhalation.

tetra sodium pyrophosphate – when ingested it can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

sodium hexametaphosphate – the Material Safety Data Sheet warns “do not ingest.”  Synonym of Sodium Polyphosphate (above).

sodium citrate – includes diarrhea as an adverse reaction. It should also be “used with caution in patients with cardiac failure, hypertension, impaired renal function, peripheral and pulmonary edema, and toxemia of pregnancy.”

Look, I’ve only gone through about half the list, but I just cannot bear this anymore.  The reason these chemicals are in the “Light Cream” is because they cost less than real cream, and people instinctively think that real cream is bad for them because of the fat and calories.  The truth is McDonald’s Iced Coffee is not a drink with simply coffee, milk, and sugar.

Let’s stay out of the drive through, all right?

Note:  To be fair to McDonald’s if your PR team is reading this I’m available to listen to your side.  You may email me using the email in my contact page.

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