Ace the McDonald's Crew Trainer Challenge 2026 – Flip, Serve, and Soar!

When coffee has been brewed for 30 minutes, the best course of action is to discard it. Freshly brewed coffee is typically optimal in taste and quality right after it's made. After a period of time, usually around 30 minutes, coffee can undergo a degradation in flavor, becoming more bitter and acidic due to oxidation and the continued extraction of flavors from the coffee grounds.

Serving coffee that has been sitting for too long may result in an unpleasant experience for the customer, potentially affecting their perception of the quality of the establishment and its products. Fresh coffee ensures that customers receive the best possible flavor and quality, which aligns with the standards of service that McDonald's aims to maintain.

While reheating or adding fresh coffee might seem like reasonable alternatives to avoid waste, they do not address the quality issue. Reheating can further alter the taste negatively, and adding fresh coffee to older coffee does not restore its freshness, as the old batch has already altered in flavor. Disposing of the older batch and brewing a new one is the most effective way to ensure high standards of product quality.