SMASHgods Freebie! Free McDonald’s McCafe Mocha Mondays

Sunday, July 26th, 2009 | SMASH Freebies with

McCafe Mocha FREE!

First it was the chicken wars –KFC launching its new grilled chicken and Oprah announcing it on her show, causing nationwide lines and ruckus, and El Pollo Loco throwing down the gauntlet by charging that the Colonel’s chicken is actually not all that healthy, and that it is cooked in beef fat. We’ll let these two companies slug it out and pass out the freebies to us.

We now have the coffee wars. Last week, we failed to mention to you that Starbucks was offering free pastry to its customers across America. Last Tuesday, from opening until 10:30 am, if you bought some coffee, you could get a free pastry –croissant, scone, slice of bread, bagel, etc.

Coffee Wars

The hook of course is to get you in there and enjoy that cup of Joe, and don’t you feel better knowing you can wash it down with a chocolate croissant or a bear claw? Damn –I was actually flying back from Canada on that day, and staring in front of me at the Vancouver Airport was a brilliant ad right there inside the international terminal. It said “We missed you, too”, with a picture of an enormous donut from Tim Horton’s. I succumbed because, unlike Starbucks, both the coffee and the pastries there are decent. “Timmies”, as all Canadians know, are well known across the territory for their donuts too, and now, with the first ones opening in Manhattan, maybe they’ll get roped into the coffee wars in the US someday.

McDonald's vs Starbucks Let me cut to the chase. The coffee wars in the US are between Starbucks and McDonald’s. The Golden Arches, with a budget of $100 million, has been heavily promoting its new line of premium hot or iced coffee drinks. In fact, this has been going on a for a couple of years now precisely because of the ubiquity of Starbucks and all the other premium coffee houses. (Disclosure: I like Starbucks and don’t get into the whole “Starbucks-is-evil-because-they-hate-Mom-Pop-stores” conversation. If anything, they have singlehandedly raised the flavor of coffee –and our discerning tastes—in this country in the last 15 or so years.)

OK, so here’s the freebie, and we’re a bit late on this one too: every Monday, until August 3, from 7am to 7pm, you can get a free hot or iced 8-oz. McCafe Mocha drink. No coupons needed. Just walk in and say you want a free McCafe Mocha and there’s no purchase necessary either. Offer is good at all participating locations —which, as you know, is a lot.

Can’t beat a free drink, right? And I’m sure you’ve seen the ads on TV for these dessert-like drinks. Make mine without the whipped cream and hold the chocolate syrup, please.

[Via walletpop.com]