CosMc's Breakfast Blows McDonald's Away

McDonald's is the largest fast food chain on Earth, so we guess it makes sense that when the franchise announced it would be opening a brand new restaurant focusing on trendy drinks, the world went wild. The very first CosMc's location opened up in Bolingbrook, Illinois in December of 2023 — and the wrap-around line of cars in the drive-thru on opening morning was reportedly epic. "The line at the new CosMc's where some people arrived at 3 a.m. to get their drink at 6 a.m.," reads the title of a Reddit thread featuring an almost unbelievable photo of a swirling, continuous line of vehicles. This obviously speaks to the hype surrounding the new restaurant ... but how is CosMc's, really?

Being McDonald's-affiliated, it stands to reason that the new restaurant will be compared to its well-established parent company — and the comparisons between CosMc's and McDonald's have already started to roll in from consumers. While the reviews could be considered premature given that CosMc's is so new, CosMc's breakfast appears, by all accounts, to be superior to McDonald's. Such a bold claim might make you skeptical, but hear us out. After studying a collection of consumer reviews, as well as conducting a comprehensive menu comparison, we are convinced that CosMc's breakfast blows McDonald's away — here's why. 

Brioche bread is all the rage these days — and rightfully so. A soft, pillow-like bread with French origins, it calls for a generous amount of both butter and eggs, making for a rich, slightly sweet bite that pairs well with just about anything. This delectable bread also makes for a mean sandwich; this is why so many restaurants have adopted brioche buns into the fold. They're the perfect vessels for all sorts of unique sandwich creations.

Newcomer CosMc's is no exception. It has employed brioche buns to house its own original breakfast sandwiches. This is in contrast to its parent company, McDonald's, which still uses English muffins, biscuits, or McGriddle pancakes to hold its morning creations. According to the consumers who have tasted the CosMc's Spicy Queso or Creamy Avocado Tomatillo sandwiches, the great-tasting, super-soft buns that house them give the new restaurant an undisputed edge over the old one. A review on The Takeout boldly concluded of the two CosMc's sandwiches that "In both cases, the brioche bun was super fresh and superior to McDonald's English muffins." High praise, indeed, considering the McMuffin is a beloved fast food classic. 

CosMc's has been called similar to Dunkin' in its concept, so it shouldn't come as a shock that the newborn chain offers a spin on a doughnut hole for consumers. These bite-sized filled baked goodies are called McPops ... and they are being universally called outstanding by consumers. Coming in three delectable flavors — cookie butter, apple cinnamon, and hazelnut — these warm, gooey bites are being compared to Dunkin's Munchkins by reviewers, with one Reddit poster reporting: "The McPops were [...] delicious. They are mini filled donuts. I think they are gunning at Dunkin' Munchkins with these, and I think McPops are better."

However, you won't find these warm, delectable morsels that pair perfectly with a fresh brew at your standard American McDonald's location any time soon. While the McPops have been available at some of the McDonald's international locations for some time, in the United States, at least, McPops are available almost exclusively at CosMc's. To get a taste, you'll have to pencil in a stop at the space-themed drive-thru — but considering that mini doughnuts are on the line, we doubt we'll have to put forth too much of an effort convincing you. 

While McDonald's and CosMc's lists of coffee drinks are relatively comparable as a whole — with McDonald's even having a greater number of brews available on its menu — the start-up manages to stand out for two major reasons: its Chai Tea Latte and Turmeric Spiced Latte. The popularity of beverages calling for both turmeric (a member of the ginger family) and chai (black tea brewed alongside water, milk, and spices) is undeniable, and it isn't hard to imagine why. Not only do these ingredients create complex, rich liquid flavor profiles that are totally sippable, but both contain some pretty significant health benefits. Turmeric, for example, is an effective anti-inflammatory (via Johns Hopkins), while chai may be beneficial for heart and brain health, per WebMD.

Besides the bodily benefits you might acquire from snagging one of these two CosMc's brews, their great taste is a bonus, too. According to a reviewer on YouTube, the turmeric-forward drink is lightly sweet, and pretty well-balanced in terms of flavor. Similarly, one of our very own taste testers called the CosMc's Chai Tea Latte "surprisingly good," declaring it had a mild, proportional sweetness level. Overall, when you add these two drinks to CosMc's breakfast advantages, we'd say they certainly help to tip the scale in its favor.

McDonald's chocolate chip cookies are not your average baked treat, according to consumers. "I just tried a McDonald's cookie for the first time today, and I liked it better than any Crumbl cookie I've ever had," reads the title of a Reddit thread, speaking to the high regard in which the moist, gooey, oven-baked delights are held by consumers.

Given the popularity of McDonald's cookies, we expect the cookies from its start-up, CosMc's, to go over just as well with eaters craving something sweet. But what gives the smaller, budding restaurant a slight edge in the cookie realm as compared with its parent company is that there is more than just one delicious flavor up for grabs from its pick-up window. While the basic chocolate chip is all you'll find on a McDonald's menu, two new elevated cookies — sea salt chocolate chip and blueberry lemon — are up for grabs from CosMc's ... both of which pair perfectly with a cup of black coffee. In addition, the start-up offers a rich caramel fudge brownie, which could totally work as a breakfast item if you throw a bitter, hot drink in the mix. If we happen to catch you chowing down on one at 6 a.m. as you're leaving the CosMc's drive-thru, we promise we won't judge.

The concept of blending health "boosts" into drinks is not a new concept. Jamba, for example, offers consumers the choice of extra blended additives such as vitamin C, biotin, zinc, protein, or 3G energy, and Smoothie King offers vegan protein powder and shots to aid your immune system, among others. While such a practice has never been a part of McDonald's business model, the company appears to be taking a new angle with CosMc's by buying into the health additives trend.

Similar to Jamba or Smoothie King, the chain, which has been labeled as a primarily beverage-focused restaurant, offers consumers the opportunity to add an extra scoop of nutrition to their day via their morning beverage. A vitamin C shot, an energy shot, and a pre-workout shot are all included on the CosMc's menu, just waiting to assist you in starting your day off strong. Way to be looking out for us, CosMc's.

To give you a thought-provoking list outlining the reasons we believe CosMc's breakfast reigns supreme over McDonald's, a thorough study of current TikTok, YouTube, and Reddit reviews was conducted, as well as a side-by-side comparison of the CosMc's and McDonald's menus. Knowledge from our very own taste testers here at Mashed came into play, as well, combining to provide you with what we believe to be a valid and informed opinion.