Less than two years after opening a handful of locations across the country, including one in an Illinois suburb, McDonald's is sunsetting its spinoff restaurant for reasons that aren't specific.

Back in late 2023, McDonald's unveiled a concept called "CosMc's." The chain, named after a little-known alien McDonald's character, offered a similar lineup of drinks and light-bites akin to Scooter's or smaller coffeeshops. My friends and I ventured to the spot in Bolingbrook, IL over our long Christmas break that year, and waited in a drive-thru line for over three hours to try it.

It wasn't much to write home about, but the experience is one I'll cherish forever. The five of us crammed into a car like sardines making commentary and exchanging jokes all while laughing at ourselves for waiting in such an absurd line.

READ MORE: A Top Secret McDonald's Spinoff Restaurant is Opening in Illinois

Photo Credit: CBS 2 Chicago, YouTube
Photo Credit: CBS 2 Chicago, YouTube
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CosMc's menu was one that boasted many items, like fruit-flavored drinks and sugary bites, designed to appeal to Gen Z. The drive-thru only location in Bolingbrook was the first to launch, while the other eateries were located in Texas, including ones in Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Allen. Up to ten additional locations were conceived, but only five ever came to fruition.

It appears the purpose of the concept was for McDonald's to trial a wide variety of drinks without putting additional stress on employees at their core restaurants.

While no official reason was given for McDonald's sunsetting their CosMc's spinoff, the writing was somewhat on the wall, with McDonald's reporting a second consecutive decline in quarterly sales:

What started as a belief that McDonald’s had the right to win in the fast-growing beverage space quickly came to life as a multi-location, small format, beverage-focused concept. 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. Quick adds and edits to the menu based on feedback led to more focused choices for our fans as the test continued - a statement on CosMc's closing, per McDonald's corporate website

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At the time of CosMc's debut, McDonald's was on a roll. They had been rolling out a handful of noteworthy promotions, mainly in the realm of celebrity endorsed meals. Whether it was the Cardi B & Offset mealtheir partnership with pop sensation Saweetie, or the (delicious) limited edition Grimace birthday meal and purple milkshake, the company was going viral for their crafty promotions.

CEO Chris Kempczinski revealed in the company's earnings call that some of the items that sold well at CosMc's will soon appear on McDonald's menus full-time. When that happens, and what items those are, is to be revealed.

Kempczinski stated that all five CosMc's locations will close by the end of June, and their standalone app and loyalty program will also be discontinued. Read more about the closure of McDonald's spinoff restaurant CosMc's on CNN's website.

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