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

Panera brewed coffee has more caffeine than McDonald's brewed coffee: 189mg vs 145mg in the same 16 oz cup. That is a 44mg gap, and since the cups match, the per-serving number is the whole story.

Panera brewed coffee vs McDonald's brewed coffee: the numbers

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

Which one should you pick?

Pick McDonald's brewed coffee when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and Panera 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

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

FAQ

Does Panera brewed coffee or McDonald's brewed coffee have more caffeine? Panera brewed coffee: 189mg per 16 oz cup versus 145mg per 16 oz medium for McDonald's brewed coffee.

Which is stronger per ounce? Panera brewed coffee, at about 11.8mg per fluid ounce versus 9.1mg for McDonald's brewed coffee.