UK · Coffee & café
How much caffeine is in McDonald’s Hot Chocolate?
Approximate figure from a McDonald’s UK FAQ dated 21 May 2018. The current nutrition guide doesn’t list caffeine, so the present recipe hasn’t been independently confirmed.
McDonald’s UK reported approximately 13 mg for a regular hot chocolate and 17 mg for a large in a 2018 FAQ.
Interactive serving
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Caffeine by serving
| Serving | Caffeine | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | 13 mg | Manufacturer approximate |
| Large | 17 mg | Manufacturer approximate |
Where this figure comes from
- Source type
- Manufacturer
- Market
- UK
- How we got the amount
- Manufacturer approximate
- Source reviewed
- 4 September 2026
- Source version/date
- 21 May 2018
McDonald’s UK describes these figures as approximate. The FAQ is dated 21 May 2018 and the current public nutrition guide omits caffeine, so recipe currency is uncertain.
Estimated caffeine remaining over time
These figures apply CaffCalc’s exponential model to the adjusted 13 mg starting value. They are calculations, not measurements of caffeine in a particular person.
| Hours elapsed | 3-hour half-life | 5-hour half-life | 7-hour half-life |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 13 mg | 13 mg | 13 mg |
| 3 | 6.5 mg | 8.6 mg | 9.7 mg |
| 5 | 4.1 mg | 6.5 mg | 7.9 mg |
| 8 | 2.0 mg | 4.3 mg | 5.9 mg |
| 10 | 1.3 mg | 3.3 mg | 4.8 mg |
| 12 | 0.8 mg | 2.5 mg | 4.0 mg |
With the central five-hour model, the estimate falls below 25 mg after approximately 0.0 hours. The faster and slower columns show why one fixed clearance time shouldn’t be treated as a personal fact.
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Same category, lower documented dose
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