McDonald’s unveils US CosMc's trial and global expansion
BBC NewsNov 29, 2023
The Facts
McDonald's has announced that it will open a new spinoff chain called CosMc's, the company's first new restaurant idea in the US since its establishment. The restaurant, named after an orange alien mascot from its previous commercials, will offer iced coffee, all-day Egg McMuffins, and multiple drive-through lanes in an attempt to compete with beverage giants like Starbucks.
The company said it will open its first location later this month in Bolingbrook, Illinois, near its Chicago headquarters. A sample menu, which McDonald's said is "rooted in beverage exploration," includes drinks such as the "churro frappé," "s’mores cold brew," "popping pear slush," "sour cherry energy burst," and vitamin C shots.
The Spin
Narrative A
McDonald's has been at the forefront of the fast-food industry for decades, but it's also been eyeing the success of other businesses and the menus they offer. If done right, McDonald's can combine its world-class restaurant services with its number one most popular food app — and thus start swaying the younger, sweet-drink-craving generations away from the likes of Starbucks and into its customer base.
Narrative B
While business is certainly booming for the beverage industry — which, of course, makes other companies want a piece of the pie — a sugary drink arms race is the last thing people need in this world full of unhealthy diets. Several Starbucks drinks double a person's recommended daily added sugar intake — more than a can of Coke. The trendline people should actually follow is that as profits go up, heart health goes down.
