McDonald’s officially announced that its universe is expanding with CosMc’s, a new, small-format, beverage- and breakfast-focused restaurant concept. McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinsk announced the news of the spinoff restaurant chain during its investor day Wednesday.
The first location, opening in December, is located in Bolingbrook, Illinois, and is part of a limited test run. The flagship location will later be joined by a handful of additional outposts, all planned in the coming year.
CosMc’s is based on McDonald’s beloved, extraterrestrial mascot from the ’80s and ’90s. Cosmc is known for its zippy personality, which makes the menu, which features energy-boosting beverages and unique treats, perfectly fitting.
CosMc’s menu
CosMc’s has a pretty extensive menu, featuring more than 10 new beverages never before seen on a McDonald’s menu. There are also two new sandwiches, plus a selection of McDonald’s favorites for customers to enjoy.
McDonald’s says CosMc’s menu is “rooted in beverage exploration, with bold and unexpected flavor combinations, vibrant colors and functional boosts.”
What this means is a broad range of drinks, from lemonades and coffees to energy-boosting beverages like Sour Cherry Energy Slush, Tropical Spiceade and S’mores Cold Brew. Patrons can customize their drinks by adding fruity boba, flavor syrups, energy shots and more.
As far as food goes, Cosmc’s Spicy Queso Sandwich and Creamy Avocado Tomatillo Sandwich are its sandwich options, but there are many more sweet and savory snacks to choose from.
On the savory side, Cosmc’s offers Savory Hash Brown Bites and Pretzel Bites, and on the sweet side, it’s got a Blueberry Lemon Cookie Sundae, Caramel Fudge Brownie and more.
And yes, you can expect to find a few McDonald’s classics on the menu — but no combo meals.
The ordering experience
CosMc’s is set to offer what McDonald’s calls a “seamless digital and Drive Thru experience,” where customers can use a dynamic menu board and cashless payment devices to “breeze through” ordering and payment processes. Drive-thru pickup windows will be assigned once your order is ready.
By the end of 2024, McDonald’s plans to open approximately 10 CosMc’s pilot locations, including spots in the Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio, Texas, metro areas.
CosMc’s history
For those unfamiliar with CosMc, according to the McDonald’s Wiki, he was featured in a series of McDonald’s commercials and print ads from 1986 to 1992.
In one 1987 commercial, CosMc lands in McDonaldland, only to be discovered by Ronald McDonald, Grimace and the Professor (another character that has since faded into obscurity). The ragtag group’s initial interaction with the character introduces the alien as one who likes to trade, though without permission at first, so it’s less interplanetary commerce and more robbery with a parting gift.
After some hijinks, CosMc and the crew enjoy a meal together, where the alien calls McDonald’s grub “deliciously awesome,” the alien turtle goe back into his space suit — which also functions as his spaceship — and zooms away.
Kempczinski first revealed it would be launching the spinoff restaurant chain on July 27 in a Q2 conference call.
News of CosMc being plucked from McDonald’s past comes after the extremely successful revival of Grimace. This summer, the big purple blob had his super viral moment with the release of the Grimace Shake, which led to a darkly humorous TikTok trend with nearly 4 billion views to date.
“This quarter, if I’m being honest, the theme was Grimace,” Kempczinski said on the call.
Q1, McDonald’s hopes, will be out of this world.
