McDonald's Getting into the Cold Coffee Business With New Pilot Store
It's new concept restaurant CosMcs aims to compete with Starbucks, Dunkin'.
McDonald’s fans in some markets will soon have new choices in coffee, deserts, and meal items as the popular fast-food chain announced its plans for CosMcs, a variation of the famed restaurant with a futuristic twist.
Wanting to capitalize on the cold-coffee-drink phenomenon dominated by Starbucks, and to some degree, Dunkin’, CosMcs will test through pilot stores the offering of a s’mores cold brew, chai frappe burst, churro frappe, or another customizable beverage.
The drinks can be paired with cookies, ice cream, or one of a few sandwiches, according to the company’s earnings call this week.
McDonald’s is eying the “attractive and fast-growing category,” its CEO and President, Chris Kempczinski, said during its earnings call.
He added that McDonald’s can’t simply blend the new items into its existing stores because it would complicate kitchen operations and slow service down.
CosMcs will open in December in Bolingbrook, Ill., and then nine more will debut in Texas over the first half of 2024.
McDonald’s also said it is planning its most aggressive expansion, announcing this week that it aims to open about 10,000 restaurants globally by 2027, giving it about 50,000 in total.
It plans to open 900 new stores in the U.S. and 1,900 in international markets with company-operated and franchised restaurants in Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and Australia. McDonald’s plans another 7,000 stores in international markets that are operated by licensees. More than half of those stores would be in China, according to a release.