CosMc's

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"CosMc" redirects here. For the character, see McDonaldland § Characters.

CosMc's
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryFast-food restaurant
FoundedDecember 7, 2023; 18 months ago (2023-12-07)
Bolingbrook, Illinois, U.S.[1]
FateShut down by parent company
HeadquartersChicago, Illinois, U.S.
Number of locations
5 locations
Area served
Illinois, Texas
Key people
Chris Kempczinski (CEO)
Products
  • iced tea
  • lemonade
  • coffee
  • frappé coffee
  • slushes
  • sandwiches
  • baked goods
  • ice cream
  • soda
ParentMcDonald's
Websitecosmcs.com

CosMc's[a] (/ˈkɒz.mɪks/, KAHZ-miks) is an American concept fast food restaurant and spinoff brand by McDonald's.[3] Its menu focuses on hot and cold speciality drinks.[4] It launched on December 7, 2023, with a drive-thru only location in the Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook, Illinois. Nine locations were planned to open in Texas in 2024.[5] CosMc's offers McCafe products, some of which are also available at McDonald's locations, alongside exclusive drinks and food.

History

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Background

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The name CosMc originated as a McDonaldland character, appearing in McDonald's advertisements from 1986 to 1992.[6] CosMc is an extraterrestrial who "craves McDonald's food."[3][7] The character occasionally came to steal food for his planet, CosMcland. It also spoke in a mixture of robot-esque sounds and normal speech.[8]

In 2023, McDonald's started focusing more on its classic mascots and the Grimace Birthday Meal became a viral Internet phenomenon.[3][9] The specialty coffee-selling business had been growing, which McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski described as an "attractive and fast growing category". CNN described CosMc's as McDonald's "answer to Starbucks."[10]

Launch

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The chain was announced in July 2023.[9] The first CosMc's store opened on December 7, 2023 in the village of Bolingbrook, Illinois.[11] The opening day saw a large queue of customers in the drive-thru which was the only way to order through the restaurant.[11] CNN reported that the Bolingbrook location saw more than twice the number of visits for a typical McDonald's location, citing data from Placer.ai, with the customer base largely skewed to those aged 22–29.[12]

At the time of launch, McDonald's planned to have ten operational stores, including nine in Texas by 2024.[7] McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski said that the company would evaluate the ten stores as a "limited test”, adding "Let's not get too excited."[13] In its first month, the store reportedly had twice the traffic of a regular McDonald's.[14]

A new app and rewards program, CosMc’s Club, along with mobile ordering, was introduced in May 2024.[15]

In early 2025, the company announced it would close three of its larger format locations and open two smaller locations in Texas.[16]

Closure

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McDonald's announced on May 23, 2025, that the CosMc's concept would cease operations at all five remaining locations (four in Texas and one in Illinois).[17] The company indicated that starting one month later, the rewards program, mobile ordering and app would no longer function, and rolling closures of the physical locations would begin. Citing learnings from proofs of concepts at the pilot locations, they expect to test some of the most successful beverage concepts at several mainline McDonald's restaurants.[18] CEO Chris Kempczinski stated that the concept was “quarantining the complexity in a stand-alone concept.” He also stated that brand contradiction, absence of experience, and a steep loss in revenue and sales were the reasons why the concept was shutting down.[19]

Operations

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CosMc's was intended to sell afternoon snacks and hot and cold drinks, and was seen as an attempt by McDonald's to enter the United States coffee market[4] and the growing market for drive-thru beverages.[13]

CosMc's outlets had a smaller footprint than a regular McDonald's.[3] It carried a range of products that were not available at regular McDonald's, such as 10 new beverages.[20] It also sold foods available at McDonald's, such as the Egg McMuffin.[7] The first CosMc's shop had four drive thrus.[21]

Design

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CosMc's buildings are colored deep violet and have yellow graphics.[21]

Notes

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  1. ^ Pronounced "cosmics"[2]

References

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  1. ^ "McDonald's announces CosMc's spin-off restaurant opens this week in Bolingbrook, shares menu details". ABC 7 Chicago. December 6, 2023. Archived from the original on December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  2. ^ Lai, Amanda (December 8, 2023). "First Look at CosMc's, the New Spinoff Concept from McDonald's". McMillanDoolittle. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d Lucas, Amelia (December 6, 2023). "McDonald's to open first CosMc's spinoff restaurant this week". CNBC. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "McDonald's unveils US CosMc's trial and global expansion". BBC News. December 7, 2023. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  5. ^ "Our Locations". CosMc's. December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  6. ^ "New McDonald's concept coming to Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook". CBS Chicago. November 30, 2023. Archived from the original on December 20, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c "McDonald's unveils US CosMc's trial and global expansion". British Broadcasting Company. December 7, 2023. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  8. ^ Kammerlohr, Emily (August 25, 2017). "McDonald's Characters: Who Are Grimace, CosMc, & More?". The Daily Meal. Retrieved February 13, 2025.
  9. ^ a b Lucas, Amelia (July 27, 2023). "McDonald's is creating a spinoff restaurant brand called CosMc's". CNBC. Archived from the original on December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  10. ^ Wiener-Bronner, Danielle (December 6, 2023). "McDonald's unveils CosMc's, its answer to Starbucks". CNN Business. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Customers line up for hours at drive-thru for new CosMc's". CBS Chicago. December 7, 2023. Archived from the original on December 20, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  12. ^ Bhatnagar, Parija (January 24, 2024). "CosMc's first location had twice as much traffic last month than a typical McDonald's | CNN Business". CNN. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  13. ^ a b Maze, Jonathan (December 6, 2023). "Check out McDonald's new concept, CosMc's". Restaurant Business. Archived from the original on December 20, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  14. ^ Bhatnagar, Parija (January 24, 2024). "CosMc's first location had twice as much traffic last month than a typical McDonald's | CNN Business". CNN. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  15. ^ Walrath-Holdridge, Mary. "McDonald's spinoff CosMc's launches app with rewards club, mobile ordering as locations expand". USA TODAY. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  16. ^ Lucas, Amelia (January 10, 2025). "McDonald's to close three CosMc's locations — and open two more". CNBC. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  17. ^ "McDonald's is closing its CosMc's restaurants but plans to test drinks the chain 'inspired'". ABC News. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  18. ^ Staff • •, NBC Chicago (May 23, 2025). "Suburban CosMc's restaurant to close as McDonald's teases new beverages". NBC Chicago. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  19. ^ Snelling, Grace (May 30, 2025). "Why McDonald's 'otherworldly' spin-off restaurant failed to launch". Fast Company. Retrieved June 1, 2025.
  20. ^ "CosMc's: McDonald's finally reveals menu, details about spinoff restaurant". TODAY.com. December 6, 2023. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  21. ^ a b "McDonald's spinoff CosMc pops up in Midwest". FOXBusiness. December 5, 2023. Archived from the original on December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
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