We previously presented a new product line introduction by McDonald’s (see “Breaking New Ground: McDonald’s Introduces a New Product Line”), called CosMc’s, a chain of space-themed restaurants with smaller menus than conventional outposts of the fast-food chain. It sought to fill a gap in the market, positioned in between coffee shops and traditional fast-casual restaurants, that would meet younger consumers’ desire for personalized options. But the experiment never took off, and within just a couple of years of opening its five pilot locations, CosMc’s has come to an end. It’s not all bad news though, for the company or consumers. McDonald’s is using the information it gathered to introduce some of the more successful CosMc’s menu items and preparation techniques into its regular stores. By leveraging this intense proving ground, McDonald’s thus gained an opportunity to experiment with different store concepts, without threatening or undermining its core business.

Sources: Jordan Valinsky, “McDonald’s Is Closing Down CosMc’s, Its Beverage-Focused Spinoff,” CNN, May 24, 2025; Amanda Mactas, “McDonald’s Is Closing All CosMc’s Locations—Here’s What You Need to Know,” Delish, May 27, 2025; Ashok Selvam, “CosMc’s Falls From Orbit as McDonald’s Will Close ‘Beverage-Focused’ Spin-Off,” Eater, May 27, 2025.