After an ongoing coffee war, McDonald’s Canada has finally won: WestJet, a Calgary, Canada-based airline, will start serving the chain’s coffee on its flights.
“The collaboration between our two caring brands is a perfect pairing, as McCafé’s values are reflected in WestJet’s commitment to offer an unmatched guest experience,” said Gregg Saretsky, WestJet’s CEO, in a statement released Monday. WestJet is the first airline in the world to offer McCafé on board, McDonald’s Canada’s communications manager Adam Grachnik confirmed to Coins2Day.
Both Starbucks (SBUX) and Tim Hortons (THI) also bid to supply WestJet flyers with their caffeine buzz. But McDonald’s Canada was mainly chosen based on price and other factors, Toronto Star notes, including a previous partnership with WestJet in children’s charities.
According to the press release, those on WestJet flights from Toronto to Calgary will be offered the McCafé Premium Roast coffee today. The airline will expand the service across its entire fleet, including its regional airline, WestJet Encore, by Dec. 1.
Since a person’s taste buds are less sensitive at flying altitude, the airline’s McCafe coffee will be “slightly different” than the coffee served in McDonald’s restaurants, according to the Star— a darker roast of beans and a hotter water temperature will be used in-flight to achieve a similar taste.
Two other Canadian airlines serve big-name coffee on their aircraft, the Star reports: Air Canada serves Second Cup coffee on its flights, and Porter Airlines serves Starbucks.
“We’ve always believed that the sky is the limit for McCafé,” McDonald’s Canada President John Betts said in the press release, “and today this officially rings true.”