CosMc's Backlash Has Already Begun

The announcement that McDonald's has opened the first of its coffee shop–style stores has been met with a decidedly mixed reaction on social media.

The first of the new chain's stores, called CosMc's, opened its doors in Bolingbrook, Illinois, on Friday. A spokesperson said this week there are plans to expand the chain across the U.S.

Following the spinoff's debut, 10 stores in Illinois and Texas are set to open in the first half of 2024. The company will then test the market results for one year before deciding whether to expand further.

The menu will focus heavily on drinks, with just a small selection of food items. Items on the menu include churro frappé, boba drinks and a s'mores cold brew, as well as such classics as the McFlurry and egg, bacon and sausage McMuffins.

"This is a $100 billion category that's growing faster than the rest of [casual dining] and with superior margins," said McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski at an investors meeting. "And it's a space that we believe we have the right to win."

News of McDonald's new venture was met with a lackluster and at times critical reception on social media. Some detractors said they were boycotting the company because of a perceived complacency in the Israel-Hamas war.

The boycott calls came after a franchise in Israel said it would donate meals to the Israel Defense Forces. Coffee chain Starbucks faced a similar backlash following a social media post from Starbucks Workers United, the union representing many of its baristas, expressing solidarity with Palestinians.

McDonald's said in a statement that the corporation "is not funding or supporting any governments involved in this conflict, and any actions from our local Developmental Licensee business partners were made independently without McDonald's consent or approval.

The statement continued: "Our hearts are with all of the communities and families impacted by this crisis. We abhor violence of any kind and firmly stand against hate speech, and we will always proudly open our doors to everyone. We are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of our people in the region while supporting the communities where we operate."

Still, detractors have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to say that they remain unmoved.

"Just a small reminder, please don't fall for all the brand deals and ridiculously cheap offers pro Israel companies are offering right now, such as with Starbucks, or the opening of CosMc's," wrote one. "Boycotting DOES work, they're losing money. Keep going."

When a post shared by Dexterto announced the "spinoff restaurant focusing on coffee/cafe to seemingly compete with Starbucks," an X user responded: "Both need to be boycotted for funding Israel."

"Time for some CosMc level boycotting!" another user wrote, adding the hashtag "#BoycottMcDonalds."

Others took issue with the CosMc's name and logo. One commented: "They should've gone with their coffee name and logo [McCafé]. CosMc's is too something or other."

"This is sending me," said another. "CosMc's concept is 'what would happen if a McDonald's character from the 1980s that was part alien, part surfer, part robot' opened a restaurant in 2023."

Asked another: "So is CosMc's like a spinoff of McDonald's or a rip off of Sonic's?"

One X user took issue with the menu, saying: "I low-key love McDonald's but I have zero interest in anything CosMc is selling."

While McDonald's says same-store sales grew by about 9 percent worldwide in the third quarter, it noted a slowdown in U.S. traffic at a meeting Wednesday. Although the boycotts will inevitably lead to a loss of revenue, McDonald's could still be successful in its expansion by using certain strategies.

"The only real way to fix this issue is for McDonald's to be transparent on communication for their corporate responsibility and consider how locals feel about things before expanding," Tim Connon, a business expert and founder of ParamountQuote Insurance Advisors, told Newsweek.

"If they want to continue to grow, they will have to understand what their customers expect," he said.

Amid the social media criticism, there were some positive posts about the launch of CosMc's.

Morgan Flatley, the global chief marketing officer at McDonald's, shared a shot of the new exterior and wrote: "Had the chance to stop by @CosMcs for a friends & family test... WOW... it was out of this world! So incredible to see this in person & full of friends!! I had the Tropical Spiceade and the mixed bag of McPops... delish. Kudos to the team for making this vision a reality."

Another user enthused: "McDonald's chose the first 'CosMcs' restaurant to be in an area close to me. I will definitely try it and give y'all feedback."

"Definitely interested to see what this is about," said another. "Seems like my little ones would love it too."

The opening of CosMc's comes as McDonald's plans to open 10,000 new locations over the next four years. The company has a little over 40,000 restaurants worldwide, but by 2027 that figure will rise to 50,000, the company said Wednesday.