There are two truths that are self-evident.

Coffee is important on a Monday morning, and advertising works.

The first must be why McDonald’s chose Mondays to give out its free iced coffee. The two together may be why they chose to advertise the promotion on Sunday night.

I was back and forth last night between reviewing a report and making meatballs (if there is a little sauce on those pages, I can explain). The TV was on in the background and somewhere in between page four of the report and browning the meatballs was a commercial for free iced coffee at McDonald’s. Mental note made – take a break sometime tomorrow and give it a try.

It must have worked on my brain all night because I woke up thinking about it. I left home early enough to beat the lines (although, to compliment the chain, they do a good job of moving cars through quickly). As I pulled into the lot, sure enough, there was a sign promoting ‘Free Iced Coffee’ with a list of the flavors: vanilla, sugar free vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, and regular. At the ordering intercom was a second sign, and the faceless voice also pleasantly reeled off the flavor choices.

I went with the hazelnut, which comes in a plastic cup, about half full of ice and nicely full of milky coffee. It’s not a tiny cup, either – it’s a full regular sized drink. The flavor is good – meaning not overly sweet – and, on a day that promises to be warm and sunny, a nice change from hot coffee. I’ve been a fan of iced coffee for years, cutting my teeth on Starbucks and eventually learning the right balance to make it at home.

It’s another sign that McDonald’s is jumping all the way into the coffee shop arena, giving more people the opportunity to try something new. Next Monday I might try the caramel . . .

Read another review here.