McDonald’s Launching New Beverage-Centric Chain: CosMc’s

McDonald’s is switching it up. The popular fast food chain recently announced it is opening a new chain called CosMc’s.

The new chain will focus on coffee and other drinks. The move can be seen as a challenge to Starbucks and others as the company seeks to boost afternoon sales, CBS News reported.

The first location will open this month in Illinois, and more are expected to open next year.

The idea behind the new chains comes from the growing demand for an “afternoon beverage pick-me-up occasion,” which is reportedly a $100 billion market that McDonald’s doesn’t currently have a presence in, said McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski, during an investor presentation on Wednesday.

CosMc’s will be able to create customized beverages that are difficult for McDonald’s restaurants to do, he added. 

CosMc’s concept is “what would happen if a McDonald’s character from the 1980s that was part alien, part surfer, part robot” opened a restaurant in 2023, Kempczinski added.

If you’re wondering what the menu will look like, well, CosMc’s will have new customizable drinks and McDonald’s favorites such as the Egg McMuffin, the CEO said. Some of the coffee drinks offered will include a churro frappe, a s’mores cold brew, and a turmeric-spiced latte. CosMc’s will also sell non-coffee beverages, including a sour cherry energy burst, a blackberry mint green tea, and a popping pear slush.