McDonald's has finally released details and opening plans about its mysterious new spinoff CosMc's after numerous posts on social media identified a mystery restaurant opening in a Chicago suburb.
According to the world's largest hamburger chain, its new concept restaurant will open this week in Bolingbrook as part of a "limited test."
Described as a "new small-format, beverage-led concept," the restaurant is the first of only a handful being opened in the U.S., McDonald's said.
"Inspired by nostalgia and powered by a menu of bold, refreshing beverages and tasty treats, CosMc’s is landing earthside for us humans to enjoy," the company said in a release.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
The new location is set for a "soft open" on Friday, with celebrations planned this weekend.
Among the menu will be options like specialty lemonades and tea, blended beverages and cold coffee, including a Sour Cherry Energy Slush, a Tropical Spiceade and S'mores Cold Brew. There will be options for customers to add things like boba, flavored syrups, energy boosters or vitamin C shots and more.
Food options will include things like a Spicy Queso Sandwich, Savory Hash Brown Bites and Pretzel Bites, along with sweeter items like a blueberry lemon cookie sundae and caramel fudge brownies.
McDonald's said customers can also "even expect to find a few McDonald's classics on the menu," including the Egg McMuffin and M&M's McFlurry.
"CosMc’s seamlessly blends brand-new, otherworldly beverage creations with a small lineup of food, including a select few McDonald’s favorites – all designed to boost your mood into the stratosphere, if only for a few moments," the company said.
See the full menu below:
Roughly 10 locations are expected to open by the end of 2024, including in the Dallas Fort-Worth and San Antonio metro areas.
McDonald's had teased plans to test out the new kind of restaurant over the summer, but recent images showing a mysterious building in Chicago's suburbs with signs of the golden arches led to much speculation.
CNBC reported the company's CEO Chris Kempczinski spoke about the idea in the burger chain's second-quarter earnings call over the summer.
"CosMc's is a small-format concept with all the DNA of McDonald's but its own unique personality," he said.
The restaurant appears to be based on a vintage McDonaldland mascot named CosMc, an alien character who appeared in ads in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The move is the latest vintage revival for the Chicago-based fast food chain.
Most recently, the company announced another throwback collectible would be coming back. Beginning next month, "McNugget Buddies" — friendly collectors items in the shape of chicken nuggets, first introduced as part of Happy Meals more than 25 years ago — will be part of a new McDonald's meal called the "Kerwin Frost Box," the chain said.
