A sign is posted outside CosMc’s restaurant, a recently launched concept by McDonald’s, in Bolingbrook, Illinois, on December 11, 2023.
Scott Olson | Getty Images
mcdonalds will close three stores of its spin-off brand CosMc’s, which specializes in beverages.
To test the concept, the fast food giant opened its first CosMc location in the Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook over a year ago, and has since opened six more locations in Texas. In addition to building smaller prototype stores, McDonald’s converted a large restaurant of the same name into CosMc’s.
The company said Thursday that smaller stores are better suited for testing. As a result, McDonald’s plans to close three large CosMc’s stores and open two more smaller restaurants in Texas. The company hasn’t disclosed where the stores will open or close, but CosMc’s website says a store is expected to open soon in Allen, Texas.
McDonald’s also shared other early findings from the pilot Thursday. Savory hash browns are the top-selling food item at any time of the day, followed by mini donuts from a chain called Mac Pops. Some of our best-selling drinks include Island Pick Me Up Punch, Churro Cold Brew Frappe, and Sour Energy Burst.
The company says testing of CosMc will continue “for the time being.”
McDonald’s created CosMc’s as a gateway to a growing number of “afternoon beverage options.”
CosMc’s menu features some McDonald’s classics, but also offers a number of new items that reflect other drink and snack trends, such as the Iced Turmeric Spice Latte, Tropical Spiced Suede, and Pretzel Bites. starbucks, dutch brothers Bubble tea chain Kung Fu Tea has found success among young consumers by offering customizable cold drinks.
The new brand’s name comes from CosMc, the McDonaldland mascot that appeared in advertising in the late 1980s and early 1990s. CosMc is an alien from outer space who craves McDonald’s food.
It’s unclear how much McDonald’s plans to expand CosMc’s, but it remains a small portion of the burger giant’s overall U.S. footprint. The company has more than 13,500 restaurants in the United States. Still, McDonald’s wants to know more about CosMc’s customers. Last year, the company rolled out a loyalty program specifically for CosMc’s.
