by Darren Oliver
This year we have experienced a hot summer. Record-breaking temperatures are taking their toll on everyone, so everyone is looking for a good way to refresh themselves. In our opinion, the way to deal with the heat is one: delicious iced coffee! However, we understand that tastes vary: some prefer sweet coffee, others black, and still others with the addition of milk or syrup. In the maze of different names used by chain coffee shops, one can get lost. After all, it’s not always clear if iced coffee in one coffee shop is the same as in another! So today we’ll talk about iced coffee and iced lattes at three popular chains: McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, and Starbucks.
Iced Coffee vs. Iced Latte – What Is the Difference?
But before we begin, let’s explain what the difference is between iced coffee and iced latte as commonly understood.
In the case of an iced latte, the matter is quite simple. A latte is a large, milky coffee made with an espresso base. Its iced version consists of ice cubes, milk, and espresso poured on top (the difference in the density of milk and espresso creates the beautiful “flowing” effect of coffee, which is so beautifully displayed on Instagram). Some people enhance the iced latte with the addition of milk foam on top of the drink.
Iced coffee is a drink prepared with regular coffee from a pour-over machine. In its simplest version, it is simply chilled coffee poured over ice cubes. On its own, it is delicious and refreshing, but it can be enhanced with additives such as milk, cream, or sweet syrups.
However, each of the chains we’ve discussed offers a slightly different edition of these two drinks. So let’s examine what McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Dunkin Donuts mean by iced latte and iced coffee.
Refreshing Coffee in McDonald’s
We’ll start with McDonald’s, which is a brand that isn’t associated at first glance with coffee – after all, it’s the world’s largest fast-food chain, which is primarily known for its hamburgers. For years, however, McDonald’s has been developing the McCafé brand, offering coffee lovers delicious brews.
Iced coffee in the McCafé edition consists of four ingredients. The base is coffee prepared from 100% arabica beans (which guarantee a mild, balanced taste). It is topped off with ice cubes and… light cream. This ingredient is the least obvious, but it gives the brew a creamy texture and subtle sweetness. The whole thing is topped off with a syrup of the chain’s customers’ choice. According to the chain’s website, there are 4 different flavors available: Caramel, Hazelnut, French Vanilla, and Sugar-Free French Vanilla.
So what is the difference between an iced latte? The main difference is used dairy, as well as the coffee, which serves as the base for the drink. In the case of coffee, the difference is fundamental: while regular coffee is used for iced coffee, the iced latte is prepared with espresso and brewed using Rainforest Alliance-certified beans (so there’s an environmental aspect to everything). The dairy used is whole milk, which makes for a proportionally bigger part of the drink. Just like iced coffee, it can be plain and with syrups added.
Starbucks Iced Coffee and Iced Latte
So let’s move on to the chain on our list that is associated with coffee the most. After all, Starbucks is a chain of coffee shops!
In this case, iced coffee is an extremely simple and uncomplicated drink. Iced coffee is simply freshly brewed coffee brewed using Starbucks® Iced Coffee Blend beans, which are then chilled and sweetened over ice. The amount of sweetness varies depending on the size of the brew chosen. The smallest (tall) has 3 pumps of classic syrup, while the largest (trenta) has 7. Just like in McDonald’s, there is iced coffee with dairy available as an option, but the difference is the use of dairy: Starbucks uses milk instead of light cream.
When it comes to iced lattes, Starbucks offers many more variations. The most classic is the Iced Caffè Latte: an espresso served with milk over ice. Starbucks offers some variety to this simple drink, creating the Starbucks Reserve Iced Latte, made with small-lot Starbucks Reserve espresso beans – something for those who appreciate a refined taste. Then there is a twist on the Reserve Iced Latte! “House-made hazelnut-praline-infused milk” instead of regular milk creates a delightful Starbucks Reserve Iced Hazelnut Bianco Latte.
That’s not the end of the options, however: The Iced Starbucks Blonde Vanilla Latte consists of Starbucks Blonde Espresso beans, vanilla syrup, and 2% milk to create a deliciously delicate refreshment.
The Starbucks chain’s latest variation on the iced latte theme, however, is the most interesting in our opinion: the Iced Cinnamon Dolce Latte combines freshly frothed milk, cinnamon syrup, and espresso, and is garnished with whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon powder. If Christmas were in the summer, this would be the new eggnog.
Dunkin Iced Latte
It’s time for the last chain on our list. What goes better with a donut in the summer, than chilly, refreshing coffee? We can’t think of anything either, so, let’s take a closer look at Dunkin Donuts.
An iced latte from the famous American donut chain is nothing unusual: just milk, ice, and freshly brewed espresso coffee (made using their own, freshly ground coffee beans). “[It] has the perfect balance of cool and creamy to get you goin’,” says the description. Nothing complicated, just a great, solid, refreshing drink!
As for iced coffee: it is just as simple as their iced latte: plain coffee brewed over ice, with any additions one might ask for.
Final Thoughts
Now you know the difference between an iced latte and iced coffee. While it may seem simple at first glance, as you can see different establishments even understand very different things by the same name. So just choose what suits you best. Or maybe you’ll even be tempted to make your own iced latte or iced coffee…?