Unveiling CosMc’s: 6 Essential Facts About McDonald’s Cutting-Edge Fast Food Chain
McDonald's new fast food chain, CosMc's, aims to dominate the afternoon beverage market with its hyper-customized and beverage-forward approach With a pilot phase lasting a minimum of one year, this concept is starting in three markets, offering variable restaurant formats and freshly made sandwiches Expect less defined roles for employees, as CosMc's revolutionizes the fast food industry
Five months after announcing CosMc’s, a spinoff QSR chain, McDonald's has finally revealed the unique personality of the mystery restaurant. The concept is surprising, as it is designed for the late afternoon daypart, a time when traffic slows at many QSRs.
At McDonald's Investor Day, CEO Chris Kempczinski stated that the company's focus has been on finding ways to join in on the growing and appealing categories within the Informal Eating Out (IEO) sector. Specifically, the company is looking at specialty beverages and coffee, especially during the afternoon pick-me-up occasion, which is an area where they believe they are not performing as well as they could. Kempczinski further mentioned that in the top six markets, this category is worth $1 billion and is growing faster than the rest of the IEO sector, with better profit margins – a favorable position that McDonald's aims to capitalize on.
Kempczinski expressed that the brand's customer loyalty is currently at an all-time high, opening up opportunities for McDonald's to explore new avenues for business growth. The complexity of the drinks on CosMc's menu presented challenges with integration into McDonald's existing kitchens, which prompted the concept for CosMc's just over a year ago, as per Kempczinski.
McDonald’s developed the concept to provide a unique and appealing experience for customers, drawing inspiration from the character CosMc from the 1980s. They also aimed to create a chain with international appeal and strong financial performance. The company's future success relies on staying ahead of customers' evolving needs and reimagining the restaurant experience.
Check out some key details about the CosMc’s concept below.
CosMc’s Berry Hibiscus Sour-Ade
Permission granted by McDonald's
It’s beverage-forward and hyper-customized
CosMc's menu features a selection of 12 refreshing non-coffee iced beverages, three non-coffee blended frappes, three blended coffee frappes, a variety of 10 hot coffees and teas, and seven delicious iced coffee drinks. In addition, there are soft drinks, select McDonald's food items, and unique signature offerings like the Spicy Queso Sandwich and Cookie Butter McPops.
The cold beverages from CosMc can be customized in nine different categories, while the hot beverages offer even more customization with up to 15 personalization categories. For instance, the Tumeric Spiced Latte allows customers to choose from the following options:
One of four milk options
Up to eight flavored syrup options (that can be “Lite” or “Extra”)
An espresso shot
Black pepper sprinkles
Up to 10 servings of three sweeteners (liquid cane syrup, Splenda and sugar)
Hot foam
Whipped cream
A temperature of choice (“Not Too Hot” or “Extra Hot”)
It’s starting in three markets
The inaugural CosMc’s establishment is set to debut this week in Bolingbrook, Illinois, with a further nine CosMc’s locations scheduled to launch by the conclusion of 2024 across the Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio, Texas regions.
The pilot will span at least one year
"We are currently testing. We are receptive to acquiring new knowledge in various areas. Based on the insights gained from this, we will determine how [CosMc’s] complements or contrasts with the overall [McDonald’s] brand." Kempczinski stated.
CosMc’s Turmeric Spiced Latte
Permission granted by McDonald's
The restaurant format is variable
McDonald’s is testing a variety of drive-thru configurations, including multiple lanes, at its CosMc’s restaurants.
“In an investor presentation, McDonald’s stated that this unique experience enables customers to be served according to the individual pace of their order, taking into account its size and complexity."
"Customers will be able to place their orders using a dynamic and highly visual digital menu board."
Employees will have less defined roles
CosMc’s will assign order pickup windows to diners when their items are complete, meaning simple orders and mobile orders will receive faster service.
The company stated that this fulfillment process enables a more efficient labor model, allowing the crew to work in various roles and feel confident in meeting customer needs. It is unclear how many employees each CosMc’s restaurant will have.
Sandwiches are freshly made
CosMc’s staff carefully craft sandwiches using freshly prepared ingredients on the same day, as stated on the CosMc’s website.
