Coffee Wars - McDonald's brings back a week-long promotion of free coffees all day from Feb. 24 - Mar. 2

Few things in life are truly free with no strings attached.  McDonald's coffee is the exception, at least, during their insane week-long promotion currently running from February 24 to March 2 all across Canada. This is not the first time McDonald's has served up free small coffees all day in the city with upgrades to medium and large for 30 and 50 cents respectively.  No doubt a ploy to steal away market share in the coffee business from the likes of Tim Horton's. In fact, McDonald's Canadian share of the roughly $3.3-billion out-of-home coffee market has more than doubled to 10.3% in just four years (1).  The coffee war is alive and well in Canada with the consumer benefiting from all of the fallout. 

Every free coffee comes in a standard McDonald's cup with a coffee sticker and a detachable card (to apply said stickers).   So theoretically, 7 free coffees results in a free medium hot drink that can be used after the week-long promotion ends.  Insane isn't it?  So drink up Canada!  Just don't forget to stay hydrated after consuming all those coffees!

(1) Strauss, M. (2013, February 23).  Can Tim Hortons fight off McDonald's attack?  TheGlobeandMail.com.  Retrieved February 25, 2014, from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/can-tim-hortons-fight-off-mcdonalds-attack/article8993325/?page=1

The New Turkey Sausage Breakfast Sandwich at Tim Horton's

This 330 calorie turkey sausage sandwich is the newest addition to the breakfast lineup at Tim's.  It seems like the only breakfast item to be under 350 calories according to signs in-store so it must be a marketing ploy for the health conscious customer.  I wouldn't be surprised as turkey has always been considered leaner meat than chicken. 

However, I'm not sure how much real turkey meat is in this sandwich. The meat looks spongy and highly processed.  Think mechanically separated meat or pink slime. Y'know, the stuff that McDonald's always denies it uses (especially now that Chicken McNuggets are now made with white meat)?

The meat is bland and it is overseasoned with pepper to compensate. It's pretty disgusting. At least the egg tastes decently like egg unlike the more artificial stuff you get at McDonald's. 

All sandwich combos now come with a larger coffee (medium) and a larger hash brown. This new hash brown no longer has a herbal taste which is a plus but on numerous occasions, it has been served stale even during peak breakfast hours.  Think incredibly hard, inedible crust. 

See the hash brown pictures below: