McDonald's K-Cups Vs Starbucks K-Cups: Which Brand Is More Affordable?

Keurig's K-Cups have been around long enough that there are all sorts of unusual flavors and collaborations from some pretty unexpected brands. Remember the IHOP Signature Blend K-Cups or the Cinnabon Caramel Pecan K-Cups (neither of which ranked very highly on our list of 26 Keurig K-Cup coffee pods)? Well-known brands like McDonald's and Starbucks make their own K-Cups, too, on top of the ground coffee both businesses have sold for years, but which is more affordable?

If we compare the price of a 24-count box of McDonald's Breakfast Blend Coffee K-Cups (which goes for about $18.99) with a 22-count box of Starbucks Breakfast Blend Coffee K-Cups (which goes for $20.99), we can conclude that McDonald's McCafe pods are the more affordable option. There aren't too many overlapping flavors between the two brands, but comparing the McDonald's French Roast Coffee K-Cups with the Starbucks French Roast Coffee K-Cups demonstrates the same results and price differences. Even when comparing decaf K-Cups between McDonald's and Starbucks, McDonald's still comes out on top with the most bang for your buck.

McDonald's McCafe K-Cups are typically available in counts of 10, 24, 72, or 96. The official McCafe website advertises seven varieties of McCafe at Home K-Cups: a premium roast, breakfast blend, premium roast decaf, French roast, Colombian blend, French vanilla, and a mocha collection with Chocolate Mocha, Cinnamon Mocha, and Salty Caramel Mocha. A little digging on the Keurig website results in a wider variety of K-Cup flavor options, ranging from Baked Apple Pie to Blueberry Muffin to Horchata Latte, though availability seems limited. McCafe also makes an iced K-Cup in a handful of flavors (such as French vanilla) with a 20-count going for $19.99, no Keurig K-Iced Coffee Maker needed.

Starbucks' K-Cups are available in more flavors directly on the brand's website, many of which aren't listed on the Keurig website. A 22-count box of Starbucks' new light-roast Sunsera Blend K-Cups goes for $20.99, while a 22-count of the limited-edition Vanilla Lavender K-Cups goes for about $16.99. Starbucks K-Cups are also available in flavors such as Peppermint Mocha, Smoked Butterscotch, and Cinnamon Dolce, though all flavors tend to go for about $20.99 per 20-count box. Even the Iced Coffee Blend Vanilla K-Cups cost $20.99 for a 20-count, making it just a dollar more expensive than the McCafe brand, but that dollar could be put to good use elsewhere, like on the 50-cent upcharge on eggs at Waffle House.