Franchise News

McDonald's to Close 3 CosMc's Locations Just a Year After Launch

| By

McDonald's to Close 3 CosMc's Locations Just a Year After
A sign hangs outside of a CosMc's restaurant, a concept recently launched by McDonald’s on December 11, 2023 in Bolingbrook, Illinois. Getty Images/Scott Olson

McDonald's has announced it will close three of its seven CosMc's locations, just a year after the spinoff concept launched in December 2023.

The closures are part of a strategy to refine and improve the smaller-format restaurant idea, which focuses on limited drink and snack menus. Despite the closures, McDonald's reassured customers that the concept is not failing and plans to open two new CosMc's locations in Texas in 2025.

CosMc's Concept Faces Closures, but Two New Locations Planned

CosMc's, a new fast-food concept from McDonald's, was designed to offer a unique and smaller experience compared to traditional McDonald's restaurants.

According to USA Today, the concept features a space-themed aesthetic and a menu of specialty drinks such as teas, slushies, frappes, and fruit-based energy drinks called "Galactic Boosts." Food offerings are also distinct, with items like Spicy Queso Sandwiches, Creamy Avocado Tomatillo Sandwiches, McPops, and Pretzel Bites.

While the company has not disclosed the exact locations of the stores that will close, a review of the CosMc's website shows that locations in Watauga and Arlington, Texas, have been removed from the list.

The Bolingbrook, Illinois location, which was the first to open, performed well in its initial month, reporting double the number of visits compared to an average McDonald's store.

CosMc's Closures Part of McDonald's Concept Improvement Strategy

McDonald's explained that it had been experimenting with different store sizes and layouts. Some CosMc's stores were built from the ground up, while others repurposed larger McDonald's locations.

The company found that smaller spaces, originally intended for a limited range of drinks and snacks, worked better for the CosMc's concept.

This allowed the brand to focus on self-service, drive-thru experiences, and testing new formats, all of which reflected customer needs, Merca2.0 said.

The closures of the three CosMc's locations should not be seen as a failure of the concept but rather part of a strategy to better understand what works for both the brand and its customers. McDonald's is planning to open two smaller-format CosMc's stores in Texas in 2025, showing its commitment to growing and refining the concept.

Some of the most popular drinks so far have included the Churro Cold Brew Frappe and Sour Energy Burst, while Savory Hash Brown Bites and McPops are among the favorite food items.

© 2024 Franchise Herald. All rights reserved.

Franchise News

Real Time Analytics