Messing with the classics is always a dangerous thing to do, and while it can be a smashing success it can also meant a lot of lost revenue while the trial and error goes on. McDonald’s is not a chain known for their innovation, after all their menu has stayed fairly stable for decades, and besides some promotions, customers can rely on entering one of their thousands of locations and finding their choice without much issue.
But McDonald’s has decided that it is time for a change. This has been brewing for a while, and the first clue was the five CosMc’s that they opened, a chain of independent restaurants based solely on beverages. It was a smashing success at the time and allowed the company to test out a lot of new beverages and marketing techniques that would not affect the original establishment.
Despite the success of the small chain, they are now shutting down their locations and McDonald’s is planning to include some of the most popular choices in their menus. In a statement announcing the closure of these locations, McDonald’s wrote about the new chain:
“It allowed us to test new, bold flavors and different technologies and processes – without impacting the existing McDonald’s experience for customers and crew. By creating a Learning Lab – in a way that only McDonald’s can – the CosMc’s team was able to test-and-learn in real customer-facing environments, which allowed for greater agility and speed.”
The new additions to the McDonald’s menu.
While we still do not know precisely which of the offerings at CosMc’s will make it to the official McDonald’s locations, we can say for sure that locations will be spoilt for choice, at least if we look at their original offerings.
“Presently, the CosMc’s menu offers iced latte options like Vanilla Matcha, French Toast Galaxy, Oat & Honey Moon, Turmeric Spice; shaken espressos such as Pistachio Swirl, Churro, and Sea Salted Caramelactic. There are also flavored cold brews (hazelnut, Coconaut, Churro), and frappes (churro, chai), along with a host of other coffee options. It expands into “Signature Galactic Boosts,” like sour cherry energy, berry hibiscus sour-ade, coconut vanilla, Island Pick-Me-Up Punch, and Blueberry Ginger Boost. Some other options are a Sprite Moonsplash, Tropical Spiceade, Popping Pear Slush, Coconut Vanilla Protein Frappe, and more. There are shakes, too,”
Of course, making all of these in a fast food environment may not be possible, and even some of the more complicated fan favorites may be a stretch given time and kitchen constraints, but it is fun to imagine that we can now get our burgers with a twist.
Continuing the statement where they announced the CosMc’s closings, McDonald’s explained that opening these locations had truly been an interesting real life laboratory:
“Building on the insights gained from the pilot standalone locations, CosMc’s-inspired flavors will be landing at McDonald’s as part of the upcoming US beverage test, seamlessly blending out of this world tastes into the McDonald’s experience. With our new dedicated category team focused on beverages, we know we can bring more delicious and innovative drinks to more fans.”
So, for those who will miss their dedicated CosMc’s place, you might still need to wait a little longer to get your favorite drink. And not just because they have not been implemented just yet, but because the company as a whole is making some changes to bring them into the new way of doing business and engaging with customers, which is one of the main reasons why they are still one of the biggest chains out there. Their ability to change, evolve and connect with both their old and new customers.