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

McDonald's brewed coffee carries more total caffeine per serving (145mg per 16 oz medium vs 140mg per 14 oz medium), but ounce for ounce Tim Hortons brewed coffee is actually the stronger drink at about 10mg per fluid ounce against 9. Which one "has more caffeine" depends on whether you measure the container or the concentration.

McDonald's brewed coffee vs Tim Hortons brewed coffee: the numbers

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

Which one should you pick?

Pick Tim Hortons brewed coffee 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
• Tim Hortons brewed coffee: 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 Tim Hortons brewed coffee have more caffeine? McDonald's brewed coffee: 145mg per 16 oz medium versus 140mg per 14 oz medium for Tim Hortons brewed coffee.

Which is stronger per ounce? Tim Hortons brewed coffee, at about 10.0mg per fluid ounce versus 9.1mg for McDonald's brewed coffee.