- McDonald's plans to shutter three locations of its spinoff brand, CosMc's, and open two more restaurants in Texas.
- The company said smaller locations work better for the test, which led to the decision.
- McDonald's introduced CosMc's as its way to tap into the expanding trend of enjoying refreshing beverages in the afternoon.
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McDonald's will shutter three locations of its drinks-focused spinoff brand, CosMc's.
To test the concept, the fast-food giant opened its first CosMc's location more than a year ago in the Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook, followed by six more in Texas. McDonald's has converted larger namesake restaurants into CosMc's, in addition to building smaller prototype locations.
The company announced on Thursday that smaller stores are more effective for testing purposes. Consequently, McDonald's plans to shut down three of its larger CosMc's locations and introduce two additional small restaurants in Texas. While the specific sites for the closures and openings were not revealed, CosMc's website indicates that a new store is on the way to Allen, Texas.
On Thursday, McDonald's revealed additional insights from their pilot program. The savory hash browns emerged as the top-selling item throughout the day, closely followed by McPops, which are the chain's mini filled doughnuts. The most popular beverages include the Island Pick Me Up Punch, Churro Cold Brew Frappe, and the Sour Energy Burst.
The company has stated that the CosMc's test will persist for the "foreseeable future."
McDonald's introduced CosMc's as its way to tap into the expanding trend of enjoying refreshing beverages in the afternoon.
While CosMc's menu features some McDonald's classics, it also offers a host of new items playing off other beverage and snacking trends, like its iced turmeric spiced lattes, tropical spiceade and pretzel bites. Starbucks, Dutch Bros. and bubble tea chain Kung Fu Tea have found success with younger consumers by offering customizable cold drinks.
The new brand derives its name from CosMc, a beloved mascot from McDonaldland that featured in commercials during the late 1980s and early 1990s. CosMc is an extraterrestrial being with a strong desire for McDonald's cuisine.
Although the extent of McDonald's ambitions for expanding CosMc's remains uncertain, it currently represents a tiny fraction of the fast-food chain's extensive presence in the U.S., which boasts over 13,500 locations. Nevertheless, McDonald's aims to gain deeper insights into its CosMc's clientele; last year, it introduced a loyalty program tailored specifically for CosMc's customers.
