A sign hangs outside a CosMc's restaurant, a concept recently launched by McDonald's, in Bolingbrook, Illinois, on December 11, 2023.
Scott Olson | fake images
McDonald's will close three locations of its beverage-focused spinoff brand, CosMc's.
To test the concept, the fast-food giant opened its first CosMc location more than a year ago in the Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook, followed by six more in Texas. McDonald's has converted larger eponymous restaurants into CosMc's, in addition to building prototypes of smaller locations.
Smaller stores work better for testing, the company said Thursday. As a result, McDonald's will close three of its larger format CosMc's locations and open two more small restaurants in Texas. The company did not disclose locations for either the openings or closings, although CosMc's website says there will soon be a store in Allen, Texas.
McDonald's also shared other initial learnings from the pilot on Thursday. The tasty potato croquettes are the best-selling food, at any time of the day, followed by McPops, the chain's mini filled donuts. Top-selling drinks include Island Pick-Me-Up Punch, Churro Cold Brew Frappe and Sour Energy Burst.
According to the company, testing of the CosMc will continue for the “foreseeable future.”
McDonald's created CosMc's as its entry point into the growing “afternoon drinking occasion.”
While CosMc's menu includes some McDonald's classics, it also offers a number of new items that match other beverage and snack trends, like its Turmeric Spice Iced Lattes, Tropical Spices, and Pretzel Bites. starbucks, Dutch brothers. and bubble tea chain Kung Fu Tea have found success with younger consumers by offering customizable cold drinks.
The name of the new brand comes from CosMc, a McDonaldland mascot that appeared in advertisements in the late '80s and early '90s. CosMc is an alien from outer space who craves McDonald's food.
While it's unclear to what extent McDonald's plans to grow CosMc's, it remains a minuscule part of the burger giant's overall U.S. footprint. The company has more than 13,500 restaurants in the United States. Still, McDonald's hopes to learn more about CosMc's customers. Last year, it launched a loyalty program specifically for CosMc's.
