McDonald's brewed coffee vs Pepsi: which has more caffeine?

McDonald's brewed coffee has more caffeine than Pepsi on both counts: 145mg per 16 oz medium against 38mg per 12 oz can, and about 9mg per fluid ounce against 3. The serving sizes differ, so the table below shows both ways of counting.

These are different categories of drink, which changes how the caffeine arrives. Energy drinks and sodas list an exact number because caffeine is a measured additive; brewed drinks vary with the beans and the brew, so their figures are compiled averages. The numbers here are the standard published values for each.

McDonald's brewed coffee vs Pepsi: the numbers

Sources: McDonald's brewed coffee's figure is verified in our McDonald's brewed coffee caffeine guide against Caffeine Informer (source); Pepsi's figure is verified in our Pepsi guide against Caffeine Informer (source).

Which one should you pick?

Pick Pepsi when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and McDonald's brewed coffee when you actually need the bigger hit and know your tolerance. If you are stacking either with other caffeinated drinks through the day, run the math against the 400mg reference rather than guessing.

For context, the FDA cites 400mg of caffeine a day as an amount generally not associated with negative effects in healthy adults. Tolerance and health vary, so treat these numbers as information, not advice.

Related reading

• McDonald's brewed coffee: the full caffeine guide
• Pepsi: the full caffeine guide
• The verified caffeine database
• Every drink compared: the comparisons index
• Compare any two of 120+ drinks

FAQ

Does McDonald's brewed coffee or Pepsi have more caffeine? McDonald's brewed coffee: 145mg per 16 oz medium versus 38mg per 12 oz can for Pepsi.

Which is stronger per ounce? McDonald's brewed coffee, at about 9.1mg per fluid ounce versus 3.2mg for Pepsi.