I Hate Cold Weather. Living in the Midwest as a winter hater is quite challenging. However, being in the Chicagoland area, known as the Food Science Capital of the United States, has its perks. I had the privilege of experiencing McDonald’s first spin-off restaurant in the world – CosMc’s.
The announcement of CosMc’s seemed to capture the attention of the entire world. It was as if all the tragedies and problems had been momentarily forgotten, just like Will Smith’s slap. Although I was eager to be one of the first to try CosMc’s, the traffic situation, which made national news, convinced me to wait at least two months after the opening before attempting to visit.
During my wait, there have been many mixed reviews about their experience. From “Not worth the wait” to “for sugar and McDonald’s lovers only,” opinions of CosMc’s are strong. One major publication even described it as “a Boba Cafe in Clown Clothing.” I respectfully disagree.
January 27th 2024
We arrived at CosMc’s around 4 pm, three days after the traffic made national news. The line stretched along the strip mall’s parking lot across the street. Despite its length, it only took about forty-five minutes to reach the kiosk to place our order (the security guard had estimated two to three hours). CosMc’s is a drive-thru-only establishment, but unlike a typical McDonald’s drive-thru, it has four lanes. You pay directly at the kiosk and drive up once your order is ready.
Cosmc’s Review
Cosmc’s Kiosk was incredibly appealing, with visually enticing options that made me want to sample everything. Despite not having Bill Gates’ wealth, I managed to order five items for less than $25. My choices included the Blackberry Mint Green Tea (with fruity boba, of course), the Blueberry Ginger Boost, a Regular Latte with Almond Milk, Pretzel Bites with Spicy Queso Sauce, Savory Hash Browns, and Mixed Bag McPops. Additionally, my coworkers kindly brought in two additional items that I was able to try: the Creamy Avocado Tomatillo Sandwich and the Iced Turmeric Spiced Latte. Overall, I must say that I was thoroughly impressed with my experience.
Here is the full breakdown of Taste Test Tale’s Review of CosMc’s:
Takeaways
- The Blackberry Mint Green Tea reigns supreme for Drinks. Its refreshing taste and balanced flavors make it a standout choice.
- The Latte is just a Café au lait, which is essentially coffee with steamed milk. Skip hot lattes.
- The Iced Tumeric Spice Latte is surprisingly delicious. Saved CosMc’s from being a no-go for Coffee.
- All of their food was delicious; with the McPops being the most fun experience.
- Pair any breakfast sandwich with a side of Hash Browns and an Apple Cinnamon McPop. Although, it’s worth noting that the pricing of the Hash Browns could be more accommodating.
- CosMc’s maintains McDonald’s reputation of being not only affordable but delicious.
- Once the hype dies down, if you’re close by, CosMc’s worth giving it a try.
Criteria
Unlike packaged taste tests, there is no individual winner and loser. Instead, I will evaluate both the individual items and the overall experience. Each criterion will be rated on a scale of 1-5 and multiplied by the corresponding points. The following are the criteria being evaluated:
Cost (x1 Point)
Cost is a primary factor that sets expectations. If a cheeseburger costs $16 and tastes the same as McDonald’s McDouble, you would most likely give the burger a terrible rating. Conversely, if a burger costs $5 and tastes the same as your favorite local burger joint, you may rate it as exceptional. I will use this metric to determine whether the price is reasonable compared to the value.
Delivery (x2 Points)
I’ve tasted many things that tasted great but missed the mark in terms of delivery. This metric is to ensure that the description and flavor match.
Flavor (x3 Points)
There’s no taste test without flavor. Simply put, did the product taste good? I will try to be as unbiased as possible, leaving my dislikes (such as chocolate) at the door. Do I think most people will enjoy this flavor, or is it simply hard to consume?
Drinks
Blackberry Mint Green Tea (with Fruity Boba)
Cost: 4.5/5
Blackberry Mint Green Tea – 5/5 | Fruity boba 4/5
Considering that a Starbucks grande refresher is roughly the same price, $4.80 is a reasonable price for a medium fruit tea. While $0.99 for fruity boba was a little surprising given McDonald’s reputation of being cheap, the price tag is not beyond expectations.
Delivery: 4.5/5
Blackberry Mint Green Tea – 4/5 | Fruity boba 5/5
One huge turn-off for me is liars. But in terms of food, a huge turn-off is when flavors taste artificial. As a Food Scientist, the term artificial does not scare me like the majority of Americans. However, when things scream artificially flavored, it’s almost always a struggle to consume. Surprisingly, Blackberry Mint Green Tea was able to deliver the described flavors without the perception of being artificial. The fruity boba also surprised me by being on par with Boba establishments. My only reservation is that they used blueberry inclusions instead of blackberries. As a Food Scientist with an MBA in Finance, I would have done the same thing. One is because blackberry seeds are prominent and blackberries are too big to be slurped up through a straw; making it impractical. Secondly, blackberries are simply expensive; this is still McDonald’s. However, as a consumer, I definitely would’ve liked to see real blackberries.
Flavor: 5/5
Blackberry Mint Green Tea – 5/5 | Fruity boba 5/5
The lack of artificial taste and the delivery of the boba made this drink the best one I’ve tried. The drink was well-balanced between flavors and excelled with the inclusion of real blueberries. Surprisingly enough, there’s no artificial flavoring according to their ingredient statement. I was astonished by the accuracy of the fruity boba and enjoyed the consistency of the drink.
Rating: 28.5/30
Blueberry Ginger Boost
Cost: 3/5
A Grande Starbucks Refresher costs a little under $5. This drink is priced at $5.39.
Delivery: 4/5
Similar to the blackberry, this drink contains real blueberry inclusions, along with lemon inclusions. Initially, I couldn’t taste the ginger, but it became more noticeable over time. While the flavor matched the description, it wasn’t particularly strong. I’m not sure if I would have been able to identify the flavor in a blind taste test.
Flavor: 3/5
The drink was Consumable, but it lacked any standout qualities. Although it didn’t have any artificial flavors, it did have an artificial ginger aftertaste, likely due to the ginger extract. On a positive note, it didn’t have the medicinal taste often found in energy and vitamin drinks. If you need a pick-me-up, I recommend trying the Blackberry Mint Green Tea and investing $0.99 in the energy shot.
Rating: 20/30
Regular Latte with Almond Milk
Cost: 5/5
At $3.59, it’s nearly impossible to find a cafe that can compete with this price. Although I strongly oppose charging extra for dairy-free alternatives, it’s unlikely that you’ll find a cheaper upcharge than $0.79.
Delivery: 2/5
This is not a Latte; it’s a Café au lait, which is essentially coffee with steamed milk. It only receives a two out of five because at least the milk is steamed.
Flavor: 1/5
The latte tasted more like warm almond milk with a splash of coffee. Contrary to popular belief, McDonald’s coffee consistently outperforms Starbucks coffee in quality, according to experts. I am appalled at how poorly executed this simple, unflavored latte was. Tasting the drink made me understand why it was so cheap.
Rating: 12/30
Iced Turmeric Spiced Latte
Cost: 5/5
At $4.89, the Iced Turmeric Spiced Latte is nearly a dollar cheaper than a Grande vanilla latte at Starbucks or a medium latte at Dunkin.
Delivery: 4/5
While working as a Food Scientist, I used to work part-time at Sparrow Coffee, the number one coffee shop in Naperville. One thing I learned there is the difference between various drinks. Although the description simply states Iced Turmeric Spiced Latte, I infer that this drink is inspired by the golden latte, which typically includes turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and honey. However, this drink only includes Turmeric syrup and a cinnamon sugar garnish. It delivers well on the turmeric flavor, but if someone orders it expecting it to taste like a golden latte, they may be disappointed.
Flavor: 4/5
I usually don’t enjoy golden lattes, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one. The flavor wasn’t too intense for my liking, unlike other golden lattes. CosMc’s was able to deliver well on the iced latte, although I would have preferred a stronger coffee flavor. While I enjoyed this drink, I don’t think golden latte lovers would have the same admiration due to its untraditional nature.
Rating: 24/30
Overall Drink Experience
Overall, my favorite drink was the Blackberry Mint Green Tea. If you want caffeine to start the day, try adding an Energy boost or get the Iced Turmeric Spiced Latte. However, I would recommend staying away from their hot lattes. Adding flavor to the hot lattes slightly improves the experience, but it’s still not worth the disappointment.
Rating: 84.5/120 (70% C-)
Food
Pretzel Bites with Spicy Queso Sauce
Cost: 5/5
$3.99 for a generous portion of pretzel bites with cheese sauce is a fantastic deal. The inclusion of cheese sauce adds flavor and indulgence to the snack, making it even more appealing.
Delivery: 4/5
Pretzel Bites – 5/5 | Spicy Queso Sauce – 3/5
The shape and texture of the pretzel bites are excellent, surpassing that of frozen pretzel bites. The cheese sauce has a great consistency and mouthfeel. However, the spicy queso lacks any spice.
Flavor: 4.5/5
Pretzel Bites – 5/5 | Spicy Queso Sauce – 4/5
Biting into the pretzel offers a satisfying crunch from its crispy exterior, followed by a soft and chewy interior. The perfect amount of salt adds the finishing touch, making each bite deliciously simple and tasty. The cheese has an amazing consistency and a great flavor. However, it does have a slight aftertaste of fake cheese. While this aftertaste is not completely off-putting, it was the first thing I noticed, along with the lack of spice.
Rating: 26.5/30
Savory Hash Browns
Cost: 3/5
While $2.39 isn’t outrageous, it is more expensive compared to McDonald’s $1 fries and Dunkin’s $1.73 Hash Browns. With $1 small fries, you get more potato for less, and at Dunkin, you get the same amount of Hash Browns for almost half the price.
Delivery: 5/5
The product I received looked exactly like the photos provided. As soon as I laid eyes on it, it immediately brought to mind Dunkin’s Hash Browns. In my personal opinion, Dunkin’s Hash Browns are far superior to McDonald’s Hash Browns. However, to my pleasant surprise, CosMc’s Hash Browns managed to exceed my already high expectations.
Flavor: 5/5
I believe Dunkin may have been dethroned; a new contender for the best Hash Browns has entered the competition. Hash Browns are typically greasy, and that’s to be expected. However, unlike Dunkin, CosMc’s has managed to achieve the perfect crispy texture without making you feel like you’re consuming a mouthful of fryer oil with every bite.
Rating: 28/30
Mixed Bag McPops
Cost: 5/5
$3.79 for donuts twice the size of Dunkin’s munchkins is a great deal, especially since you don’t have to pay extra to enjoy all three flavors.
Delivery: 4/5
Apple Cinnamon – 5/5 | Hazelnut – 5/5 | Cookie Butter 3/5
The McPops are a delightful treat, consisting of mini-filled donuts that offer a unique combination of flavors. While evaluating these delectable treats, I found that they excel in both texture and the ratio of filling to dough.
The Apple Cinnamon and Hazelnut flavors were particularly impressive, delivering the exact experience one would anticipate. The execution of these flavors was spot-on, leaving no room for disappointment.
On the other hand, the Cookie Butter flavor failed to make a lasting impression. It lacked a distinct quality and did not provide a clear point of reference when it came to taste.
Flavor: 4/5
Apple Cinnamon – 5/5 | Hazelnut – 4/5 | Cookie Butter 3/5
Similar to the delivery, the Apple Cinnamon flavor was spot on. While the Hazelnut McPop was good, anything that’s not Nutella will always taste like a cheaper alternative. As for the cookie butter, I could live without it and probably wouldn’t buy it again.
Rating: 25/30
Creamy Avocado Tomatillo Sandwich
Cost: 5/5
At just $4.99, CosMc’s offers exceptional value for money. It’s the perfect choice for those seeking a wallet-friendly option that doesn’t compromise on taste or quality.
Delivery: 3/5
Many people who tried the sandwich were confused about the placement of the Tomatillo. It took us all some time to realize that the Tomatillo was part of the spread. To reduce confusion, it would be helpful if they named it “Creamy Avocado Tomatillo Spread with Bacon.” Additionally, it would be interesting to see a fried sliced tomatillo on the sandwich.
Flavor: 5/5
CosMc’s Creamy Avocado Tomatillo Sandwich has amazing flavor. The combination of perfectly cooked eggs, savory bacon, and melted cheese creates a mouthwatering sensation. McDonald’s is renowned for crafting delicious breakfast sandwiches. Despite any hiccups in delivery, the flavor remains consistent, making it a reliable choice for a satisfying breakfast option.
Rating: 26/30
Overall Food Experience
The most enjoyable food experience at the restaurant was the McPops. One of the reasons is that you get to try various flavors. If I were to go back, I would order any breakfast sandwich with a side of Hash Browns and an Apple Cinnamon McPop. The only thing I wish is that the Hash Browns were half the price.
Rating: 110.5/120 (92% A-)
Conclusion
After a thorough exploration of the menu, it’s clear that the Blackberry Mint Green Tea reigns supreme for Drinks. Its refreshing taste and balanced flavors make it a standout choice. For those in need of a morning caffeine boost, consider spicing up your drink with an Energy boost or opting for the Iced Turmeric Spiced Latte. However, my advice would be to steer clear of the hot lattes, as even added flavors fail to redeem them.
For food offerings, the McPops stole the show, offering a delightful array of flavors. I would recommend pairing a breakfast sandwich with a side of Hash Browns and an Apple Cinnamon McPop. Although, it’s worth noting that the pricing of the Hash Browns could be more accommodating.
In general, my experience at CosMc’s drive-thru was satisfying. While it would be preferable to have a dine-in option, the drive-thru experience surpassed my expectations in all aspects. Although CosMc’s may not be worth waiting 3+ hours for, I strongly suggest taking a short road trip if you have the opportunity.
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