McDonald’s opens a new chain called CosMc’s. You can find the locations and menu here.

A first look at the McDonald’s concept CosMc’s

McDonald’s said it will open a new chain called CosMc’s that will focus on coffee and other drinks. The move is seen as a challenge for Starbucks and Dunkin’ as the fast food giant tries to boost afternoon sales.

The company said it will open its first CosMc’s location in Illinois this month and plans to open additional restaurants in 2024.

The reason for the restaurant is growing demand for an “afternoon drink pick-me-up,” a $100 billion market in which McDonald’s currently does not have a strong presence, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said at an investor presentation on Wednesday . The new chain will allow the company to create customized drinks that are difficult for McDonald’s restaurants to produce, he added.

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CosMc’s concept is: “What would happen if a 1980s McDonald’s character who was part alien, part surfer, part robot” opened a restaurant in 2023, Kempczinski added.

What’s on the menu at CosMc?

The chain will offer new customizable drinks and McDonald’s favorites like the Egg McMuffin, the CEO noted.

Coffee drinks on offer include a churro frappe, a s’mores cold brew and a turmeric-spiced latte, among others, according to the company. CosMc’s will also sell non-coffee drinks, including a tart cherry energy boost, a blackberry mint green tea and a popping pear slush.

CosMC’s coffee drinks include Churro Frappe, S’mores Cold Brew and Turmeric Spiced Latte. Non-coffee drinks include a tart cherry energy boost, blackberry mint green tea and popping pear mash. MC Donalds

The chain will also offer “sweet and savory treats,” Kempczinski said. These include a spicy queso sandwich, a creamy avocado tomatillo sandwich, pretzel bites and caramel fudge brownies.

What drink customizations will there be?

McDonald’s said CosMc’s will offer customizations including popping boba, flavor syrups and energy and vitamin C shots.

Where are the CosMc locations?

The first location will be in Bolingbrook, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. About 10 more locations are expected to open in Texas in 2024, Kempczinski told investors.

It’s not yet clear whether CosMc’s will expand beyond that. The company said it will review the results for at least a year before deciding whether to add more locations.

Will McDonald’s add more of its own restaurants?

Yes, McDonald’s plans to open approximately 10,000 new stores worldwide by 2027. This is expected to be the “fastest period of growth” in its 60-year history, the company said on Wednesday.

This comes on the back of an 8.1% increase in same-store sales in the third quarter, prompting the chain to accelerate the pace of its restaurant openings.

– With reporting from the Associated Press.

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Aimee Picchi

Aimee Picchi is Associate Managing Editor at CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets such as USA Today and Consumer Reports.