The company closed all locations of its experimental CosMc’s restaurant chain that was focused on unique drinks and snacks earlier this summer.
McDonald’s is betting big on beverages, announcing plans to test a new lineup of drinks at more than 500 U.S. locations, months after deciding to shutter its experimental CosMc’s restaurant chain that was focused on unique drinks and snacks.
The fast-food giant will begin testing the new drink menu September 2 across Wisconsin, Colorado and surrounding areas, bringing flavors like: Toasted Vanilla Frappe, Strawberry Watermelon Refresher, Sprite Lunar Splash, Popping Tropic Refresher and Creamy Vanilla Cold Brew to regular McDonald’s restaurants.
The move represents a strategic pivot for McDonald’s, which opened eight CosMc’s locations — one near Chicago headquarters and seven in Texas. After initial fanfare, the concept struggled and the company closed all remaining CosMc’s locations earlier this summer and shut down the CosMc’s app.
“We’re seeing real momentum in beverages, with more people – especially our Gen Z fans – turning to cold, flavorful drinks as a go-to treat,” McDonald’s marketing chief Alyssa Buetikofer said in a statement.Â
The beverage test comes as McDonald’s seeks to capture a larger share of the $100 billion specialty drink market, which CEO Chris Kempczinski has called a “space that we believe we have the right to win.” The company has long struggled with afternoon sales slumps between traditional mealtimes and views beverages as a key opportunity to compete with coffee chains like Starbucks and regional players like Dutch Bros.
CosMc’s original menu featured complex drinks like matcha iced lattes, turmeric spiced lattes, prickly pear-flavored slushies with popping candy and frozen sour cherry energy drinks. However, Kempczinski previously expressed concerns that such intricate beverages might be too complex for regular McDonald’s operations.
The new test menu appears designed to bridge that gap, offering what the company describes as “out-of-this-world tastes” while maintaining operational feasibility. The lineup includes cold coffees, fruity refreshers, crafted sodas, and energy drinks aimed at different dayparts and consumer moods.
Despite CosMc’s brief lifespan, McDonald’s says the concept served its purpose as a testing ground for bold flavors and operational innovations.Â
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