Wildly Popular McDonald's Spinoff CosMc's Will Expand to 10 Locations This Year. Find Out Which Cities Will Get An Outpost. CosMc's, which debuted in Illinois last year, has four locations and six more planned, including one in a new city.
By Carl Stoffers Edited by Jessica Thomas
Key Takeaways
- McDonald's launched CosMc's in Bolingbrook, Illinois, to an enthusiastic response last year.
- CosMc's aims to attract younger consumers with its customizable drinks, leaning into a space-based, retro-futuristic aesthetic.
- The spinoff will reach 10 locations open this year, primarily in Texas.
McDonald's launched its retro-futuristic spinoff, CosMc's, in Bolingbrook, Illinois, in December. The response was stronger than expected, with the location receiving more than double the visits of a standard McDonald's when it opened. The quirky brand has resonated with the 22- to 29-year-old age group, a demographic that usually visits McDonald's with less frequency than older consumers.
Now, the fast-food giant is moving ahead with plans for CosMc's expansion, including more locations, its own mobile app and entering a new city.
New locations, new city
CosMc's currently has four locations — the original in Illinois and three in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. Although McDonald's previously announced where it would open more locations, customers across the U.S. speculated as to where the next CosMc's would be. The planned expansion — into San Antonio — will include additional units in Dallas, a CosMc's spokesperson confirmed.
To accompany this expansion, the brand has launched a mobile app — separate from McDonald's — offering benefits similar to those enjoyed by McDonald's fans. The new app features mobile ordering, special deals and a rewards system called CosMc's Club. Customers can also place orders for pickup via the drive-thru or walk-up window at the concept, which has no in-restaurant dining option.
CosMc's concept
CosMc's aims to attract younger consumers with a wide array of drinks, including Blackberry Mint Green Tea and Blueberry Ginger Boost, which can be customized with options like vitamin C shots, pre-workout shots, tapioca pearls or various syrups. The chain also offers hot and cold coffee options.
The brand's theme leans into a space-based, retro-futuristic aesthetic, creating a unique personality while maintaining McDonald's familiar feel. The space-themed menu and name are a tribute to CosMc, a part-alien, part-surfer and part-robot character that McDonald's briefly experimented with in the 1980s. CosMc last appeared in the 1992 McDonald's video game M.C. Kids.
The CosMc's concept has a smaller footprint than a traditional McDonald's, occupying approximately 2,800 square feet compared to the 4,000-4,500 square feet of a typical McDonald's restaurant. The concept combines the essence of McDonald's with a distinctive feel. "CosMc's is a small format concept with all the DNA of McDonald's, but with its own unique personality," McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski said, per CNN Business.
