I went to 5 different chains to find the best cup of hot chocolate and the one from McDonald's was basically warm milk

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I went to 5 different chains to find the best cup of hot chocolate and the one from McDonald's was basically warm milk
panera

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

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Panera Bread's signature hot chocolate, which cost $3.39, was the most unique out of the cocoa beverages I tried.

  • There's nothing quite like warming up with a cup of steaming hot chocolate, but which to-go chain or fast-food restaurant serves the creamiest, most delicious cocoa?
  • I went to five different chains - Starbucks, Dunkin', McDonald's, Pret, and Panera Bread - to try to find the best cup of hot chocolate, and the winner surprised me.
  • While Starbucks impressed me the most with its rich, creamy recipe, the hot chocolate from McDonald's tasted like warm milk and not cocoa at all.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

As the weather gets increasingly colder, warming up with a steaming cup of hot chocolate may tickle your fancy. But, which to-go cup of cocoa reigns supreme?

I set out on a mission to find the best cup of hot chocolate from five major chains - Starbucks, Dunkin', McDonald's, Pret, and Panera Bread.

Here's a breakdown of every hot chocolate I tried, and how they ranked from worst to best according to taste and value.

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5. McDONALD'S: I'm going to be honest — I didn't have high hopes for McDonald's hot chocolate.

5. McDONALD'S: I'm going to be honest — I didn't have high hopes for McDonald's hot chocolate.

The chain isn't known for being a top-of-the-line coffeehouse, but I wanted to give the fast-food giant a shot.

My assumptions were correct. I thought the hot chocolate was terrible.

My assumptions were correct. I thought the hot chocolate was terrible.

In my opinion, it didn't taste of chocolate at all, but rather warm milk and water. Even for the low price of $2.89 for a medium hot chocolate, I was immeasurably disappointed.

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4. DUNKIN': As a New Englander, I have a special loyalty to Dunkin' coffee.

4. DUNKIN': As a New Englander, I have a special loyalty to Dunkin' coffee.

Dunkin' definitely didn't produce a terrible hot chocolate, but it wasn't great either.

Though the drink was undeniably creamy and had a good amount of sweetness, there was a slightly artificial taste to the hot chocolate.

Though the drink was undeniably creamy and had a good amount of sweetness, there was a slightly artificial taste to the hot chocolate.

A medium hot chocolate cost $3.04 at the location I went to in New York City, which seemed expensive for what I thought it was — a fake-tasting, scalding hot cup of chocolate milk.

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3. PRET: Pret's medium hot chocolate, which came to $3.80, tasted distinctly different.

3. PRET: Pret's medium hot chocolate, which came to $3.80, tasted distinctly different.

The drink tasted like dark chocolate, while the others tasted more similar to standard milk chocolate. As a lover of slightly bitter chocolate, I was a fan.

The frothy milk and rich, creamy cocoa flavor earned Pret's hot chocolate recipe high marks.

The frothy milk and rich, creamy cocoa flavor earned Pret's hot chocolate recipe high marks.

It tasted like real chocolate, unlike the previous two. I would definitely order hot chocolate from Pret again.

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2. PANERA BREAD: Panera Bread's signature hot chocolate was the most unique of the cocoa beverages I tried.

2. PANERA BREAD: Panera Bread's signature hot chocolate was the most unique of the cocoa beverages I tried.

It cost $3.39 for a medium and was the sweetest hot cocoa I tried. The price was extremely reasonable for the decadent flavor I experienced.

Floating on top of a bed of foamy whipped cream were three chocolate chip marshmallows and a swirl of salted caramel syrup.

Floating on top of a bed of foamy whipped cream were three chocolate chip marshmallows and a swirl of salted caramel syrup.

Despite being more over-the-top than the other hot chocolates, the flavors weren't overpowering. This was certainly a treat on a cold winter's day.

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1. STARBUCKS: Starbucks' hot chocolate, which is arguably an underdog on a menu filled with coffee beverages, came out on top.

1. STARBUCKS: Starbucks' hot chocolate, which is arguably an underdog on a menu filled with coffee beverages, came out on top.

A grande hot chocolate with whipped cream from Starbucks came to $4.30 at the location I went to, but the creamy goodness inside was simply priceless on a rainy winter's day.

The hot chocolate was perfectly rich and tasted like thick, melted chocolate.

The hot chocolate was perfectly rich and tasted like thick, melted chocolate.

It didn't taste artificial or like it came from a powder. I was very impressed.

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If I could only choose one hot chocolate, it would have to be Starbucks' cup of creamy chocolate goodness.

If I could only choose one hot chocolate, it would have to be Starbucks' cup of creamy chocolate goodness.

Though it didn't have the exciting bells and whistles of the Panera cocoa, sometimes simple, seemingly high-quality ingredients come out on top.

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