Starbucks Drinkers Take Note–McDonald’s Has New Drinks That Are Actually Affordable

While there’s no denying that sipping on a delicious drink from Starbucks can make your tastebuds happier than ever (pumpkin spice latte, anyone?) your wallet, on the other hand, may not be the biggest fan of their pricey menu items. Luckily, McDonald’s offers more affordable alternatives, including one that rivals the ever popular frozen drinks known as Frappuccinos. They call their version the Frappe.

The only problem with the Frappe is that the options are a bit limited when it comes to flavor. is While Starbucks offers a much wider range of concoctions, the standard varieties here in the at McDonald’s simply include caramel and mocha. Now, though, Frappe-lovers located in Japan will be happy to hear that the fast food chain is rolling out some seriously scrumptious new flavors.

McDonald’s Japan broke the news about these new flavors last Wednesday, August 17, via their Twitter account. The first addition is the Uji Matcha Frappe, which, you guessed it, is a matcha-flavored variety of the popular frozen drink. Of course, it’s also topped with whipped cream. Yum!

While Starbuck’s the smallest Frappuccino size at Starbucks will cost you $4.99, customers can get this blended beverage at McDonald’s in a medium size for 540 yen—that’s $3.33—or in a large for 500 yen ($3.70). Not a bad deal at all!

The next new Frappe flavor is one you may not have heard of: Hojicha. Similar to matcha, this is another tea powder. However, it has a more golden hue than the green matcha, and it offers a sweet, smoky taste with a bit of a cocoa flavor. We want to get to Japan to try it ASAP! This drink will cost you 490 yen, or $3.63, for a medium.

But wait, there’s more! McDonald’s Japan rolled out one more new menu item: A Hojicha macaron, which comes in a 170 yen or $1.26.

If you happen to be vacationing in Japan as summer winds down, get your hands on these new items as soon as you can! They officially hit restaurants this Wednesday, August 24. Our fingers are crossed they’ll make their way to the U.S. soon.