A sign hangs outside a CosMc restaurant, a recently launched McDonald’s concept in Bolingbrook, Illinois on December 11, 2023.
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McDonald’s Three beverage-focused stores to close Derivative brand CosMc’s.
To test the concept, the fast-food giant opened No. 1 CosMc location It happened once more than a year ago in the Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook, followed by six more in Texas. In addition to building smaller prototype stores, McDonald’s is also converting larger restaurants of the same name into CosMc’s.
The company said Thursday that smaller stores are better suited for testing. As a result, McDonald’s will close its three large CosMc stores and open two more small restaurants in Texas. The company doesn’t disclose where it will open or close, but CosMc’s website says a store will open soon in Allen, Texas.
On Thursday, McDonald’s shared other early learnings from the pilot program. Savory hash browns are the best-selling item at any time of day, followed by the chain’s mini donut McPops. Best-selling beverages include Island Pick Me Up Punch, Churro Cold Brew Frappe and Sour Energy Burst.
The company said testing of CosMc will continue for the “foreseeable future.”
McDonald’s created CosMc’s as its entry point into the growing “afternoon pick-me-up” segment.
While CosMc’s menu features some McDonald’s classics, it also offers a range of new items that echo other beverage and snack trends, such as Iced Turmeric Spice Latte, Tropical Spice and Pretzels. Starbucks, dutch brothers Bubble tea chain Kung Fu Tea has found success among younger consumers by offering customizable cold drinks.
The new brand’s name comes from CosMc, the McDonald’s mascot that appeared in advertising in the late 1980s and early 1990s. CosMc is an alien from outer space who desperately wants to eat McDonald’s food.
While it’s unclear how much McDonald’s plans to grow CosMc’s, it still represents a small portion of the burger giant’s overall U.S. business. The company has more than 13,500 restaurants in the United States. Still, McDonald’s wants to know more about its CosMc customers; last year, it launched a loyalty program specifically for CosMc’s.
