CosMc’s: McDonald’s to close wild burgerless concept

It was McDonald’s bold experiment to appeal to a new customer bored with Big Macs – but the concept has officially failed.

A McDonald’s without burgers seems a ludicrous idea. Like Bondi Beach without backpackers; or a Melbourne day with fewer than four seasons.

And yet, on the outskirts of Chicago, there is exactly that: a Macca’s without a pattie in sight. No Quarter Pounders, no McChickens, not even a hint of a fry, French or otherwise.

This is CosMc’s: a bold experiment by McDonald’s to capture consumers who are less into Happy Meals and more into the sugary desserts masquerading as drinks that you might find at Starbucks.

But it’s a concept that has failed with the US fast food giant announcing all of its stores will close within weeks not even two years after the first store opened. It has said that CosMc’s was merely a “learning lab” and now that McDonald’s has “learned so much” it’s time to shut it down. But when it opened, Macca’s was gushing over CosMc’s future.

“The premium beverage space has been growing, and McDonald’s wants to play in the arena,” a retail analyst told news.com.au of CosMc’s.

But, he warned that success would have been “hard to accomplish”.

Before the shutters come down on CosMc’s, here at news.com.au we’ve tried some of the espresso slushies and neon cordials as well as the decidedly un-Macca’s like bites, so you know what you end up missing out on.

And some of the food items in particular are so fast-food fab, after trying one you wouldn’t mind if you never ate a Big Mac again.

McDonald’s is keen to expand into new concepts. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

CosMc's first outpost

On the side of a highway in Bolingbrook, Illinois, an hour west of Chicago deep in suburbia, is a very standard McDonald’s.

Next to it though is something notable. On the site of a former rotisserie chicken restaurant is this mutant Macca’s: CosMc’s.

The name is derived from “CosMc’s” a McDonald’s mascot from TV commercials in the late 1980s, a robot with eight arms and a weakness for stealing hamburgers.

McDonald's CosMc's concept brand in Bolingbrook, Illinois. Picture: Benedict Brook

It’s here that the burger king wanted in on coffee. While Macca’s sells some basic beverages, people don’t make a beeline for McDonald’s when they want a sugary slushie espresso.

“McDonald’s core business in the US is a mature and saturated business and that limits growth,” Neil Saunders, the managing director, retail, of US research from Global Data, told news.com.au.

“CosMc’s operates in a completely different segment – the popular and fast-growing beverage space – and McDonald’s wants to see if it can grab some share of that market”.

CosMc’s names derives from a robot (centre) with wandering, thieving hands. Picture: McDonald’s.

Drinks are very sweet, food is spicy

When the first CosMc’s opened, just over a year ago in 2023, McDonalds’s said the new sub-brand was “rooted in beverage exploration, with bold and unexpected flavour combinations, vibrant colours and functional boosts”.

What that manifests itself on the menu is an eclectic range of slightly bonkers drinks.

Perhaps an Iced French Toast Galaxy Latte? An Iced Turmeric Spiced Latte?

Too normal sounding for you? CosMc’s also offers the Sea Salted Caramelactic Shaken Espresso.

Dazzling in an orangey pink hue is the Island Pick-Me-Up Punch, consisting of “punched up” berry flavoured “powered” lemonade with dried strawberries? All “natural,” the description assures.

Then there’s Sprite Moonsplash and Pomegranate Hibiscus Slush.

Lots on the menu – none of it burgers. Picture: Benedict Brook

News.com.au tried the bright purple Tropical Spiceade. Tropical is a vague flavour. In reality it was a not very spice berry cordial. Sweet was the overwhelming taste.

The Churro Cold Brew Frappe was a cold creamy – and very sweet – Frappuccino adjacent brew which doesn’t taste of churros so much but does have a hint of cinnamon

Many of the drinks simply seemed to exist to be colourful and sweet – there was little to differentiate them aside from the hue.

Drink are super sweet but the food options have bite. Picture: Benedict Brook

You’ll give up Big Macs for this

The food was more interesting. Apple cinnamon pops were little doughnut balls which were, no surprise, sweet, but they had nice tangy burst of viscous apple sauce.

The closet you’ll get to classic Macca’s fare is a creamy avocado tomatillo sandwich.

Tomatillos are a Mexican fruit used in salsas. And it turns a bite that could have a passing resemblance to a bland bacon and egg McMuffin into a spicy delight within a brioche bun.

It’s got a kick and I’d happily kick a Big Mac to the kerb for good if these were readily available.

Other choices are less successful. The pretzel bites are bland – warmed dough with chunky salt crystals. But, then, that’s pretzels for you. But a spicy, creamy quest dip livens it up.

CosMc's is Macca's meets Starbucks. Picture: Benedict Brook

‘I drove off’

But customers appear to be confused as to whether it’s a Macca’s or not.

“I thought it was McDonald’s,” one CosMc’s customer remarked.

“But then I saw the menu and drove off.”

This was an issue, said Global Data’s Mr Saunders.

“CosMc’s needs to stand on its own and not be compared to McDonald’s as it’s a completely separate proposition.

“The market is saturated with choice. CosMc’s needed to become a part of people’s routines and that can be hard to accomplish.”

Mr Saunders added that “constrained consumer finances” likely “will not be good for discretionary spending on expensive beverages”.

Just look at Starbucks. In the first three months of 2025, its sales fell 2 per cent in the US. It’s put in place a turnaround plan. Awkwardly for CosMc’s that has actually seen it axe the number of sweet, creamy drinks after customers who simply wanted, you know, a coffee complained they were awaiting while sugar caffeine cocktails were whipped up.

CosMc’s will shut by the end of the month. Picture: Benedict Brook

Closure for CosMc’s

McDonald’s, if anything, is doing it worst. Its US sales fell 3.6 per cent during the same period as consumers slowed down their splurging – even on fast food.

In January, it said it would close three of its larger CosMc’s locations. There were only eight in total to begin with.

The fast food firm said the smaller branches allowed it to “test new, unique circumstances that are reflective of our customer base”.

Then, just weeks ago, McDonald’s put CosMc’s out of its misery completely. Yet the announcement of the fast food food fail was so cheery it almost made it could like a huge success.

“The main goal of the CosMc’s test was to create a launch pad for learning for McDonald’s – and the insights we’ve gathered have given us a whole new way to get closer to our fans,” it claimed.

“By creating a Learning Lab – in a way that only McDonald’s can – the CosMc’s team was able to test-and-learn.

“As part of this next testing phase, starting in late June, we will be closing all stand-alone pilot CosMc’s locations on a rolling basis”.

McDonald's’s said that “CosMc’s-inspired flavours will be landing at McDonald’s as part of the upcoming US beverage test”.

CosMc’s seemed like a very in-depth and expensive “learning lab” if the aim was simply to add some new sweet drinks to the menu of its regular outlets.

Originally published as CosMc’s: McDonald’s to close wild burgerless concept