I tried iced black coffee at 3 fast-food chains, and there's only one I'd buy again

• I ordered iced black coffees from fast-food chains Wendy's, Burger King, and McDonald's.
• I wouldn't order iced coffee from Wendy's or Burger King again because I didn't like the flavor.

Iced black coffee is my go-to order, and getting it from fast-food chains would make my morning fix quick and cheap.

I decided to a small coffee from Wendy's, Burger King, and McDonald's to see which is best.

Wendy's iced coffee was bitter, and I struggled to drink the entire thing

Wendy's iced coffee is described on the menu as "extra rich and super-smooth," but I didn't find it smooth at all. In fact, I found it difficult to finish because of how bitter it was.

I regularly drink black coffee, so I'm used to it not being sweet, but this felt undrinkable. If you're a big fan of bitter coffee though, this might be for you.

The small iced coffee was the most expensive I tried at $2.39 — but Wendy's version of a small was bigger than the other two chains', so value-wise it seemed on par.

I found Burger King's iced coffee to be pretty flavorless

Wendy's iced coffee was hard for me to drink because of the strong flavor, but Burger King's was so watery that I couldn't taste much.

It was easy to drink because of this, but it wasn't as rich or powerful as I expect an iced black coffee to be.

When I previously tried the chain's hot black coffee, I thought it tasted burnt, so this was at least a step up from that experience.

On the bright side, Burger King's small coffee only cost $1.19.

McDonald's coffee was my favorite, and it was smooth to drink

The iced coffee at McDonald's was full and rich, and it had a sweetness to it that made it enjoyable to drink.

This felt the most like a quality iced coffee I'd get at an actual coffee chain, but for a fast-food price.

The small was priced between the other two, at $2.19, which felt fair for a good cup of coffee.

Overall, McDonald's had the only iced coffee I'd willingly buy again

As I expected, ordering iced coffee at fast-food chains was cheap (under $2.50 a piece) and quick.

But between Wendy's coffee being pretty bitter and Burger King's coffee tasting watered down, McDonald's was my clear favorite.

Beyond fast-food taste tests, this is an iced coffee I'd genuinely try again — I even liked it more than some coffee-chain varieties I've had.