Do you like having a morning boost to get your day going, or do you enjoy having caffeine to get some work done later in the day and into the night?  However you like to have your caffeine fix, you might be interested to know which popular coffee shops around you have the largest caffeine count.  I’ve picked four of the most popular coffee places in America and compared their caffeine counts so you know which brands of coffee will be best at any time of the day.  I found this information from Caffeine Informer.

Starbucks

Starbucks’ brewed coffee that comes in a 12-ounce cup, called a Tall, contains 260 mg of caffeine.  The brewed coffee has more caffeine than any of their other drinks in this size.  You can also grab Starbucks’ instant coffee, cans, or bottles at grocery stores; these store-bought options contain anywhere from about 40 mg to 130 mg.  Take a look at caffeineinformer’s article about Starbucks’ caffeine counts to learn about your other favorite drinks from this iconic shop.

7-Eleven

Big Energy, which used to be called Energy Fusion, at 7-11 gas stations is a popular caffeinated drink.  This convenience store holds many drip-brewed coffees and other specialty drinks, but according to the caffeineinformer, Big Energy (which is only sold in certain locations) will give you the caffeine kick you need for a late night.  The website does not have the caffeine count just yet, but the writer and commenters for the article describe how much the caffeine affected them.

McDonald’s

People flock to McDonald’s for the variety of drinks they offer, including brewed coffee, lattes, frappes, and smoothies.  In their 12-ounce cup of brewed coffee, they have 109 mg of caffeine, which is the highest caffeine content of all other McDonald’s drinks in that size.  As shown on the caffeineinformer’s website, the next highest caffeine count is 100 mg of caffeine in the mocha frappe.  The brewed coffee from McDonald’s contains less than half the caffeine that Starbucks’ brewed coffee contains.  Knowing this information, you can decide the amount of caffeine that you can handle throughout the day.

Dunkin’ Donuts

Dunkin’ Donuts is a popular brand for their coffee both in their shops and at local grocery stores.  According to the caffeineinformer, Dunkin’ Donuts’ brewed coffee contains 132 mg of caffeine in a 10-ounce cup, which is their smallest size.  Other drinks you can purchase at Dunkin’s Donuts include decaf coffee, iced drinks, and cappuccinos.  Their coffee contains less caffeine than Starbucks’ coffee does, but it has more caffeine than McDonald’s coffee does.  Again, the decision about which one to consume will be based on the time of day, your reaction to caffeine, and, of course, the taste.

Remember, not everyone reacts the same way to caffeine.  You might not be used to the side effects when you drink certain brands of coffee, so be wary of the amount of caffeine you drink if you aren’t a regular coffee drinker.  If you happen to prefer decaffeinated drinks to get you moving in the morning or to keep you energized through the night, the places I listed also have these options.  A few other coffee shops that I did not list that are popular throughout the country include Wawa and Sheetz in eastern US, West Coast Coffee in western US, and Peet’s Coffee & Tea throughout the US.

Are any of these coffee places in your list of favorites?  Let us know about your favorite drinks from these shops or if you know of other popular brands and types of coffee.