Here’s What Customers Are Saying About McDonald’s New Spin-off Restaurant, CosMc’s

Fast food junkies and curious converts alike were lining up for the grand opening of CosMc’s, the new McDonald’s spin-off focused on coffee and juice beverages. Named for a six-armed alien franchise mascot McDonald’s introduced in 1987, CosMc’s is positioning itself as a rival to Starbucks and Dunkin'. It comes during a fairly unprecedented time of change within its parent corporation, which recently announced notable changes to its signature Big Macs and plans for larger burgers, as well as the potential return of its snack wrap and the re-introduction of another nostalgic brand ambassador.

Since CosMc’s is primarily concerned with doing drive-thru business, hopeful customers camped out most of the day to put in their order for a Churro Frappe or a S’Mores Cold Brew. Lines of vehicles snaked around the corner within just 68 minutes of opening, while wait times stretched to over five hours, according to one report.

Judging from those in the queue, the franchise’s bid at nostalgia-baiting is paying off. "I'm a fan of McDonald's and the whole retro space theme is cool," Crystal Rodriguez told BBC. "I like the 1980s, too."

Rodriguez’s pal, Maria Hinojosa, piped up from the passenger seat to clarify their ages. Though they weren’t alive in the ‘80s, the story of CosMc—a space alien who moved to planet Earth because the McDonald’s menu was so irresistible—still resonates. "We're really children of the '90s,” Hinojosa explained. “But we've seen a lot of stuff about CosMc. It's all online."

As Hinojosa and Rodriguez bided time in line, they added to the extensive list of CosMc’s items they wanted to try: the chain’s breakfast sandwiches, including an avocado tomatillo option; and the much-talked-about McPops, which are making coming to America after a white-hot run on European menus.

A video taken by ABC7 News Chicago the night CosMc’s opened shows one patron happily racking up a $104.52 tab at the fast food establishment.

ABC7 also spoke to Tanya Michael, who traveled all the way from London to attend the opening of the world’s first CosMc’s. “I found out about this place [and] literally just booked my flight straight away,” Michaels told reporters. “I got here, like, two days ago.” Michaels, who good-naturedly begged a harried employee to “bear with me” as she rattled off an immense order, later showed off her drinks and “mixed bag” McPop sampler for the cameras.

While not everyone was as taken with CosMc's as Michael, with one naysayer deriding the eponymous alien as "godawful branding," the prevailing sentiment seemed to be that fans cannot wait for CosMc’s to come to their town. “I hope LA has a CosMc’s location by the end of 2024, or else I’ll feel clowned,” @genmichellee wrote on X.

Luckily, the wait won’t be too long. CosMc’s is planning to open another nine locations throughout the United States before the end of next year.