Freshly ground, but when was it roasted?

Sign outside McDonald's, Renfrew Street and Grandview Highway, Vancouver, BC

Most coffee aficionados wisely insist on freshness. The accepted wisdom is that freshly ground coffee tastes better than coffee that was ground days, weeks, or even months earlier.

Another hallmark of good coffee is beans that are freshly roasted. After roasting the flavour will start to deteriorate unless stored in ideal conditions. (And even then, the shelf life is limited.)

From the sign outside this McDonald's we see that every cup of McCafe contains "Freshly Ground Espresso". No indication as to how long ago it was roasted, but then I don't think that the purist coffee drinker who could tell the difference is going to McDonald's.

It sort of fits with the whole McDonald's ethos, good enough. Never great, but good enough. (And why McDonald's coffee is in my "revoked set".)