McDonald's Sweet Tea (large) vs Pure Leaf black iced tea: which has more caffeine?

McDonald's Sweet Tea (large) has more caffeine than Pure Leaf black iced tea on both counts: 100mg per 32 oz cup against 54mg per 18.5 oz bottle, and about 3mg per fluid ounce against 3. The serving sizes differ, so the table below shows both ways of counting.

McDonald's Sweet Tea (large) vs Pure Leaf black iced tea: the numbers

Sources: McDonald's Sweet Tea (large)'s figure is verified in our McDonald's Sweet Tea (large) caffeine guide against Caffeine Informer (source); Pure Leaf black iced tea's figure is verified in our Pure Leaf black iced tea guide against PepsiCo label data (source).

Which one should you pick?

Pick Pure Leaf black iced tea when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and McDonald's Sweet Tea (large) 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 Sweet Tea (large): the full caffeine guide
• Pure Leaf black iced tea: the full caffeine guide
• The verified caffeine database
• Every drink compared: the comparisons index
• Compare any two of 120+ drinks

FAQ

Does McDonald's Sweet Tea (large) or Pure Leaf black iced tea have more caffeine? McDonald's Sweet Tea (large): 100mg per 32 oz cup versus 54mg per 18.5 oz bottle for Pure Leaf black iced tea.

Which is stronger per ounce? McDonald's Sweet Tea (large), at about 3.1mg per fluid ounce versus 2.9mg for Pure Leaf black iced tea.