McDonald's Testing Popular Concept Items

McDonald's will test beverages from its short-lived drink focused spinoff restaurant CosMc's at 500 locations, according to a news release obtained by CBS News last week.

"We're seeing real momentum in beverages, with more people — especially our Gen Z fans — turning to cold, flavorful drinks as a go-to treat," said Alyssa Buetikofer, McDonald's chief customer experience and marketing officer, in a statement. "It's a great opportunity for us to meet our U.S. customers' evolving tastes and show up in new moments, like afternoon refreshment or snack breaks."

The test drinks, which McDonald's described as "cold coffees, fruity refreshers, crafted sodas and energizing sips," will initially available at restaurants in Wisconsin, Colorado and surrounding areas and include Toasted Vanilla Frappé, Strawberry Watermelon Refresher, Sprite Lunar Splash, Popping Tropic Refresher and Creamy Vanilla Cold Brew. McDonald's previously announced that it planned to add beverages from CosMc's to its regular menu in May weeks before revealing plans to close all five of its test locations just 18 months after their openings.

"Building on the insights gained from the pilot standalone locations, CosMc’s-inspired flavors will be landing at McDonald’s as part of the upcoming US beverage test, seamlessly blending out of this world tastes into the McDonald's experience. With our new dedicated category team focused on beverages, we know we can bring more delicious and innovative drinks to more fans.," McDonald's said in a news release shared last week. "What started as a belief that McDonald’s had the right to win in the fast-growing beverage space quickly came to life as a multi-location, small format, beverage-focused concept. It allowed us to test new, bold flavors and different technologies and processes – without impacting the existing McDonald’s experience for customers and crew.

"We cannot wait to share more about our beverage developments and tests in the future," the company added. "Stay tuned as we continue to explore new horizons and bring fresh, exciting flavors to our fans!"