By Jacob Pucci | jpucci@syracuse.com
After a few false starts and chilly days, summer has finally returned to Central New York and with it the return of iced coffee season. So as we banish hot coffee away until pumpkin spice latte season, which inches earlier into summer every year, let's turn our attention to iced coffee.
There is no shortage of excellent, local coffee shops in Central New York, but we thought it'd be fun to see what happens when your coffee and chalupa cravings intersect and you want one fast food restaurant to check all the boxes.
Jacob Pucci | jpucci@syracuse.com
The Criteria
I sampled iced coffees from 10 national chain shops and rated them from worst to best. All were sampled black or as close to plain as possible for the restaurants that pre-mixed their coffee with dairy and sweetener. I judged the coffees on overall taste and quality. Price, portion and available offerings were also noted.
I'd Rather Have Instant
Jacob Pucci | jpucci@syracuse.com
Taco Bell
When it comes to beverages, Taco Bell is better known for its Mountain Dew varieties than its coffee. And as it turns out, you should probably stick to the Mountain Dew.
I knew I was not going to Live Mas when I was handed the coffee and thought it was iced tea. This takes light roast to a whole new level. The coffee was bland and watery and tasted a bit stale, as if the beans had been roasted and ground and stored in a warehouse for months before being brewed.
Actually, that's probably exactly what happened.
Price: $1.69.
Jacob Pucci | jpucci@syracuse.com
Dunkin' Donuts
Any Massachusetts native will tell you that America runs on their pride and joy, Dunkin' Donuts. New England's favorite coffee can be found all over Central New York, including about a dozen in the city of Syracuse alone.
Since I judged a black coffee (when available) from every location, that's what I ordered from Dunkin' too. With no cream, sugar or seasonal flavor swirl to lend a hand, this black coffee was on full display and its mediocre flavor exposed. The coffee wasn't particularly flavorful and lacked the bright flavors found in some of my higher-ranked offerings. The flavors were muddied and didn't taste fresh.
That all being said, Dunkin' has nailed the cream-sweetener ratio for an enjoyable light and sweet cup of coffee. They do some things well, but black coffee isn't it.
Price: $2.49 for a small.
Stick to the Burgers
Jacob Pucci | jpucci@syracuse.com
Sonic Drive-In
At Sonic, the iced coffee comes pre-mixed with cream and sugar and is available in four flavors--original, French vanilla, chocolate and praline pecan. I assume pickle flavor will be available shortly.
Like the Burger King coffee (more on that in just a second), which was also unavailable black, the Sonic offering has way too much dairy and not enough coffee. It was like drinking a cup of milk filled with Sonic's famous nugget ice.
I tried the original (plain) version, so perhaps this dairy-heavy drink works better if you concede the coffee flavor and add one of the sweet flavorings.
Price: $1.99 for a small.
Jacob Pucci | jpucci@syracuse.com
Burger King
Contrary to this burger chain's slogan, you can't really have your iced coffee your way at Burger King. It's available in one size and only in vanilla and mocha flavors.
Vanilla seemed the most neutral, so I chose that for the judging.
This coffee is super creamy and sweet, thanks to a generous helping of vanilla syrup. All the sweetness comes from the vanilla flavor, which means there isn't any undissolved sugar sitting at the bottom of the cup, which is good.
All of these other components means that the actual coffee flavor is totally lost. This is an iced coffee for people who don't like coffee.
Price: $2.39.
Perfectly Passable
Jacob Pucci | jpucci@syracuse.com
McDonald's
Stop by just about any Mickey D's in the early morning and you'll come across a fervent group of regulars who eat their sandwiches and leisurely sip coffee. If the coffee wasn't at least decent, they wouldn't keep going, right?
The coffee at McDonald's was surprisingly bold, yet not too bitter. It's a pretty straight-forward brew with welcome toasty flavors.
It's not terribly complex, but in the world of fast food coffee, that's not a bad thing and at under $2, it was one of the best deals.
Price: $1.79 for a medium.
Jacob Pucci | jpucci@syracuse.com
Bruegger's
It only makes sense that the bagel shop with nearly 20 different bagel varieties and more than a dozen different cream cheeses would also have a wide selection of coffees. In addition to the house blend, Bruegger's serves dark roast, decaf, hazelnut, iced cold brew and seasonal varieties like coconut and pumpkin spice.
For the sake of comparison, I judged the house blend. A fairly light roast, this coffee had more subtlety and nuance than some of the darker roasts, with noticeable dark chocolate flavors.
One downside was that the only sugar available was granulated sugar, which dissolves into cold coffee about as well as sand.
Price: $2.29 for a small.
Runners Up
Jacob Pucci | jpucci@syracuse.com
Chick-fil-A
The southern fast food chain opened its first Upstate New York location in Cicero in February and it's safe to say Central New Yorkers were quick to welcome them to town.
While the main draw is the chicken sandwiches, and rightfully so, the iced coffee is no slouch either. Chick-fil-A only serves cold brew coffee with milk, available in both original and vanilla varieties.
The original is lightly sweetened--just enough to give the drink some body without being too sweet to turn off black coffee drinkers.
Since it's cold brew, this coffee is smoother, less bitter and not as acidic compared to traditional iced coffee. In fact, it has a malty, almost peanut-like flavor with a faint sweetness reminiscent of molasses. It's a surprisingly complex, unexpected drink.
Price: $2.75 for a small.
Jacob Pucci | jpucci@syracuse.com
Panera Bread
The fast casual chain cranks out a quality iced brew to wash down your bread bowl with a side of bread. Available in two sizes, the iced coffee at Panera is self-serve, which is great for folks who want total control over their coffee or don't want to pay for a cup of mostly ice.
The coffee itself is a lighter roast, but isn't weak, nor is it overly bitter. It's not too complex, but it's smooth enough to enjoy black, yet strong enough that it won't be drowned out if milk and sugar are added.
Plus, if you eat in, you can refill your cup. Within reason, of course. Don't be that person.
Price: $2.19 for a small.
The Nicest Iced Coffees
Jacob Pucci | jpucci@syracuse.com
Starbucks
Say what you want about Starbucks--the coffee is burnt, what the hell is a Unicorn Frappuccino, etc.--but the green mermaid is largely responsible for the expansion of artisanal coffee and a heightened attention toward the source and quality of the bean.
Without Starbucks, we might all be drinking powdered Sanka, so let's be grateful.
That all being said, the complaints some folks have that Starbucks over-roasts its coffee are valid. This was the medium house blend but was still very dark by most standards.
Flavor-wise, this coffee had a refreshingly bright acidity with bold smoky, tobacco flavors, but the delicate floral and fruity flavors had all been roasted out. a slightly bitter aftertaste lingers around for a little bit as well.
Price: $2.45 for a tall (small).
Jacob Pucci | jpucci@syracuse.com
Tim Hortons
When the weather is too hot for a double-double, reach for an iced coffee from Canada's answer to Dunkin' Donuts.
This coffee packed a punch of bold acidity, but wasn't as bitter as the Starbucks brew and was easy to enjoy black. It appeared to be a medium roast--darker than Bruegger's, but lighter than Starbuck's.
Maybe this was just the work of person who prepared this drink, but this iced coffee had by far the least amount of ice. So while it wasn't the coldest, it also had the most actual coffee and didn't become watery after the ice began to melt. I call that a win.
Price: $1.89 for a small.
Pair your iced coffee with a gas station breakfast sandwich for a true breakfast of champions. Check out my ranking of nine of the best (and worst) you can buy.
Jacob Pucci finds the best in food, entertainment and culture across Upstate New York. Contact him at (315) 282-8611, or by
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