Two CosMc’s Units Close Before First Birthday, But Two More Could Open

Just before the coffee chain's one-year anniversary, McDonald's has announced the closing of two North Texas locations of its coffee spinoff, CosMc’s.

CosMc’s is a branch of the “I'm Lovin' It” domain that focuses on hot and cold specialty drinks, with a handful of light bites. It's “a small format concept with all the DNA of McDonald’s but its own unique personality" according to McDonalds CEO and president Christopher Kempczinski. The futuristic theme behind the idea was pulled from a mascot, CosMc, who appeared in McDonald's ads in the late '80s and early '90s.

The first launched in December 2023 in the Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook, followed in early 2024 by nine locations in Texas.

The company's announcement of the three closed locations didn’t identify which ones got the axe. With a bit of sleuthing, Arlington's CosMc's Google page has the red bar of death and "Permanently Closed."

This particular unit was odd for a fast-service coffee. It didn't have a drive-thru and parking was sparse: the handful of spaces in front of the store required the "street claiming" back-in parking scenario where you have to drive past the space, hit your hazards and back up towards on-coming traffic to park. For a coffee. So, yeah, not real surprised this didn't get a passing grade.

According to Yelp, the second closed location is in Watauga.

McDonald's says the closures don't reflect the brand's ability to succeed in the market but are a result of experimenting with different sizes and set-ups (mark counter flow back-in parking off the list). The company stated it will "focus more on the drive-thru and digital experience." (Which, of course. Did they really need to run that test?)

Per CosMc’s website, a new location is “coming soon” to Allen at 861 W. Stacy Road, just across the street from the Allen Premium Outlets.

Another may open in Frisco at 1795 U.S. Highway 380. A CosMc's placeholder appears in Google Maps, but nothing is confirmed.

Despite the closures locally, the company says CosMc’s first year has proved fruitful, and the plan is to continue to test, learn and grow.

According to a press release, the Island Pick Me Up Punch, Churro Cold Brew Frappe and Sour Energy Burst were customer favorites, and the the savory hash brown bites and McPops were the most loved bites from the intergalactic menu.

Dallas Area CosMc’s:
6033 Campbell Road, Dallas
5341 McPherson Blvd., Fort Worth
861 W. Stacy Road, Allen (Coming Soon)