McDonald’s to Close All CosMc’s Locations, Integrate Popular Beverages into Main Menu

McDonald’s has announced the closure of all its CosMc’s locations, a beverage-focused spinoff launched in December 2023. The decision comes after less than two years of operation, with the company ci

ting the initiative as a valuable testing ground for new beverage offerings and technologies. The closures will begin in late June, and the CosMc’s mobile app will also be discontinued.

Background on CosMc’s

CosMc’s was introduced as a drive-thru and pickup-only concept, aiming to compete with coffee giants like Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts. The brand featured unique and customizable beverages, including matcha iced lattes, turmeric spiced lattes, and galactic-themed drinks like the Sprite Moonsplash and coconut vanilla frappes . Initially, McDonald’s planned to open ten locations in Texas, but only seven were launched, with five remaining operational at the time of the closure announcement.

Integration into McDonald’s Main Menu

Despite the closure of CosMc’s standalone locations, McDonald’s plans to incorporate some of the most popular CosMc’s beverages into its main restaurant menus. The company has formed a dedicated beverage category team to oversee this integration, aiming to bring innovative drinks to a broader customer base.

Strategic Shift and Industry Context

The decision to shutter CosMc’s comes amid broader changes in the fast-food industry, with competitors like Taco Bell launching their own beverage-focused concepts. McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski stated that the CosMc’s initiative provided valuable insights into consumer preferences, particularly in beverage customization, which will inform future offerings at traditional McDonald’s locations.

The closure of CosMc’s reflects McDonald’s strategic shift to focus on enhancing its core menu with innovative beverages tested through the CosMc’s experiment, rather than expanding the standalone concept.