How much caffeine is in McDonald's McCafé Brewed Coffee (Medium)?
of caffeine
Source: public manufacturer data and USDA FoodData Central. Values are estimates, not exact or medical measurements.
- 145 mg of caffeine per 473 ml (16 fl oz) serving.
- About 1.5 cups of brewed coffee, and 36% of the FDA's 400 mg daily limit for healthy adults.
- After 6 hours roughly 70 mg is still in your system; after 12 hours about 34 mg.
- To stay under the 100 mg many people notice at bedtime, finish it about 3.1 h before sleep.
McDonald's McCafé Brewed Coffee (Medium) delivers about 145 mg of caffeine per 473 ml (16 fl oz) serving, the equivalent of roughly 1.5 cups of brewed coffee (a 240 ml cup is about 96 mg). That is about 49 mg more caffeine than a standard cup of coffee.
How long McDonald's McCafé Brewed Coffee (Medium) stays in your system
Caffeine leaves the body through first-order elimination with a population-average half-life of about 5.7 hours. Starting from 145 mg, roughly 101 mg is left after 3 hours, about 70 mg after 6 hours, and around 34 mg after 12 hours. Your personal rate varies — smoking speeds it up, pregnancy and some medications slow it down — which is why the calculator below lets you set your own half-life and bedtime.
McDonald's McCafé Brewed Coffee (Medium) and your daily limit
For most healthy adults the FDA points to about 400 mg of caffeine a day as an amount not generally linked to negative effects. One serving of McDonald's McCafé Brewed Coffee (Medium) is 36% of that ceiling. Pregnant people are usually advised to stay under about 200 mg a day, and the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages caffeine for children and adolescents. This is general guidance, not medical advice. The easiest way to stay under your own limit is to log every drink — CoffeeLog adds up your real daily total automatically.
How long it stays in your system
Starting from one serving, here is roughly how much caffeine is left as the hours pass (population-average half-life of 5.7 hours).
| Time | Caffeine left | % left |
|---|---|---|
| At serving | 145 mg | 100% |
| After 1 h | 128 mg | 88% |
| After 3 h | 101 mg | 70% |
| After 6 h | 70 mg | 48% |
| After 9 h | 49 mg | 34% |
| After 12 h | 34 mg | 23% |
Your personal caffeine curve
Estimates for general information, not medical advice.
How it compares
| Drink | Serving | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| McDonald's McCafé Brewed Coffee (Medium) | 473 ml | 145 mg |
| Starbucks Pike Place Brewed (Grande) | 473 ml | 310 mg |
| Costa Latte (Medio) | 360 ml | 277 mg |
| Costa Cappuccino (Medio) | 360 ml | 277 mg |
| Costa Americano (Medio) | 360 ml | 277 mg |
| Pret Filter Coffee | 350 ml | 271 mg |
| Dunkin' Cold Brew (Medium) | 710 ml | 260 mg |
Frequently asked questions
How much caffeine is in McDonald's McCafé Brewed Coffee (Medium)?
McDonald's McCafé Brewed Coffee (Medium) contains about 145 mg of caffeine per 473 ml (16 fl oz) serving. Values are public-source estimates, not exact measurements.
Is 145 mg of caffeine a lot?
It is about 1.5 cups of brewed coffee. The FDA considers up to 400 mg per day safe for most healthy adults, so this is a moderate single dose.
How long does the caffeine in McDonald's McCafé Brewed Coffee (Medium) stay in your system?
Caffeine has a half-life of about 5.7 hours, so roughly 101 mg of the original 145 mg remains after 3 hours and about 34 mg after 12 hours. The calculator above shows your personal curve.
Will McDonald's McCafé Brewed Coffee (Medium) keep you awake?
It can if you have it late. From 145 mg it takes roughly 3.1 hours to fall below the 100 mg level many people notice at bedtime. Finish it well before sleep, or use the cutoff above.
Track this automatically with CoffeeLog
Log any drink in one tap, watch caffeine fade in real time on your home screen, and get a nudge before it touches your sleep — the same engine that powers this page.
Related
TrackCaffeine provides general reference information about caffeine. It is not medical advice. Caffeine values are public-source estimates, not exact measurements.