Bolingbrook CosMc’s opens to long lines, hours of waiting

Maya Wysocki of Romeoville waited in line three hours Friday for a chance to sample CosMc’s, the new McDonald’s spin-off restaurant in Bolingbrook.

But the wait for the brand-new restaurant, a pilot operation, was worth it to Wysocki, who said she really wanted to try a beverage with a vitamin C or pre-workout “boost.”

“Once you get past the halfway mark, there is no leaving,” Wysocki said of the wait. “You’ve already made it so far that you’ve just got to see it through.”

Hundreds of cars were lined up and wrapped around the complex Friday afternoon while police directed traffic.

Francisco Comas of Naperville was among those in line.

Comas planned to order a churro frappe, Hazelnut McPops (doughnut bites with hazelnut filling) and a pomegranate hibiscus slush.

“I wanted to get a few things in case I don’t like something,” Comas said.

Still, Comas hoped his two-hour-plus wait was worth the hype.

“I can say I’ve been to the first CosMc’s that was open,” Comas said.

As of Friday, one person was selling the bag and receipt from his order from CosMc’s soft opening Thursday on eBay. That person spent $23.75 for a spicy Queso sandwich, creamy avocado tomatillo sandwich, a large island pick-me-up punch, a large blackberry mint green tea, and an order of savory hashed bites with hot mustard dipping sauce, according to the listing.

The CosMc’s name is based on an alien McDonaldland character from the 1980s that created his own flavors for his friends in CosMcland.

“After millions and millions of aliens served, CosMc decided it was time to bring this menu down to Earth,” according to the CosMc’s website.

This small-format restaurant is a drive-thru with cashless payments only, according to McDonald’s website.

CosMc’s customers are assigned a pickup window when their order is ready, according to McDonald’s website. Online ordering will be available in the future, according to CosMc’s website.

The beverage-focused menu features “bold and unexpected flavor combinations, vibrant colors and functional boosts” with room for plenty of customization, according to the McDonald’s website.

[ What’s on the menu for McDonald’s CosMc’s in Bolingbrook ]

For instance, the Berry Hibiscus Sour-Ade is a “tart lemonade mixed with a sweet berry probiotic blend served with a dried lemon wheel over ice.”

For that beverage, customers can add or subtract dried dragonfruit, dried blueberries, dried strawberries and/or dried lemon wheels. They can add up to two of eight choices of fruit-flavored syrup and also can add one of three “boosts:” an energy shot, vitamin C or pre-workout.

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Vehicles pull up to CosMc’s, McDonald’s first small format beverage driven concept drive-thru restaurant, on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023 in Bolingbrook. (Gary Middendorf/gmiddendorf@shawmedia.com)

Most items are vegetarian, except sandwiches and the snack box. All beverages (and some snacks) are gluten free, and quite a few items also are dairy free, according to the CosMc’s website.

CosMc’s has its “own distinct brand and identity,” which is why it “looks, feels and serves its customers differently than a traditional McDonald’s restaurant,” according to the CosMc’s website.

McDonald’s CEO and President Christopher Kempczinski previously said CosMc’s would be tested in limited markets. About 10 pilot locations could be open by the end of 2023, according to the McDonald’s website.