The McLatte Comes to Seattle

Attention, Seattle caffeine addicts....wait, let's rephrase that. Seattle, what a week it's been for free coffee!

First, Starbucks debuted a new blend on Tuesday, giving patrons a free taste which resulted in lines out the door at many stores. Now, tomorrow, McDonald's begins a four-week promotion called "Free Latte Friday." Go to any McDonald's in Western Washington tomorrow before 10:30 a.m. and get a free (Mc)latte.

McDonald's has launched "Un-Snobby Coffee.com" and have recently launched a TV ad campaign in Western Washington to herald their McCafe espresso drinks. The gist of the site and the ads is that getting a latte at McDonald's isn't as highfalutin' as getting the same drink anywhere else. McDonald's echoes recent equally annoying coffee ad campaigns with its marketing: "No crazy names... No second language required." Except the drinks are still lattes and americanos, which certainly aren't English names.

The real question is, will anyone in Seattle actually leave their local coffee shop for a McDonald's latte after the promotion is done? We doubt it.

"Welcome" courtesy of Seattlest Flickr Contributor, smohundro

Contact the author of this article or email tips@seattlest.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Abbey in News on April 10, 2008 4:30 PM

Comments [rss]

Troy Morris

McScotch however.... yummy yummy in my tummy tummy.

And yeah, don't eff with Silvie. He'll treat you like an old TV.

brappy

McSteak makes me McSick.

Katelyn

Real men drink Scotch and eat steak. From McDonalds. McSteak, coming soon!

Jeremy

I saw one of the ads for the espresso campaign, and it mostly was like "aren't people who don't get their coffee from McDonald's all pretentious dicks?" Which really didn't sway me at all. It's like when Coors or Budweiser mocks microbrews as this thing for effete city people--i.e., gays. So an independent company doing what a giant does, only better, is apparently lame and mockable in their eyes. Real men drink piss for beer, and drink crappy coffee from McDonald's! No, this is nothing but an ad campaign aimed at suburbanites who have increasingly realized that the reason their perpetual dieting doesn't work is perhaps due to McDonald's food, and now McDonald's wants to get them back from Starbucks.

ballarditeblog

I actually had one at the Crown Hill McDonalds several weeks ago ... I shouldn't admit it but I was having a jones for a breakfast biscuit on the way to the Swanson's and they were giving away a free latte with each breakfast sandwich. It was pretty bad. It really tasted just like one of those cappucinos from a vending machine in a bus station: slightly burnt, too hot, not milky enough, no crema.

Katelyn

This makes me sad about the soon-to-be-unavailable Starbucks breakfast sandwiches. Where can a person get some convenient, decent coffee and a quick, un-crappy breakfast sandwich anymore?

Abbey

sorry Matt! Especially after I noticed your staff picture involves a large automatic weapon.

Audrey

Matt Silvie ain't just a reader, he's also an an em-effing contributor.

Abbey

A Seattlest reader, Matt Silvie sent me this tip via e-mail about the McLatte give away:

Anyway, you should note on there that no one should waste their time going to the ferry terminal macdonalds because they're not honoring the promotion there. AND they charge $3 fucking dollars for egg mcmuffins, huge rip off!

duly noted sir!

Troy Morris

I'm sure they're banking on having people stop in and realize the coffee isn't that bad and gets the job done. Then, next time they need some java or joe and are near a McDonalds, they'll stop in and spend their $1.50

Katelyn

I'm really scared to try one!! Gross. I wonder if they have soy.

Aris

I don't see what the big deal is about Dunkin Donuts coffee. It's just really hot tasteless black water.

bigtimetopbanana

Sounds like Maccie D's are taking advantage of the lack of Dunkin Donuts out here.

"No crazy names... No second language required..." sounds like Dunkin Donuts' selling point in the East back in 2006, "Delicious lattes from Dunkin' Donuts. You order them in English".