Bolingbrook’s CosMc’s features fun drinks, sweet treats and long lines

Bolingbrook — McDonald’s opened the first of a new, experimental line of “beverage-forward” drive-thru restaurants in Bolingbrook on Dec. 8, and the response from fans has been enthusiastic.

So enthusiastic, in fact, that it is virtually impossible to buy anything from the new cafe, dubbed CosMc’s, without waiting for about an hour in line.

One week after its opening, I went to see what the fuss was about and sampled a few of the new, signature offerings Friday. I was informed by employees that my best bet was to arrive between breakfast and lunch if I wanted a shorter wait. The definition of “shorter” ended up being about 55 minutes.

One unique feature of CosMc’s, 285 N. Weber Road, is that it doesn’t have seating. The entire building is a kitchen area with four drive-thru lines built around it that are equipped with ultra-modern, electronic menu boards.

Under normal conditions, the system seems like it would be very effective. However, at the moment, efficiency is only made possible by a team of police officers in the parking lot directing traffic through a winding, makeshift drive-thru extension.

For those willing to venture out to try the new spot, there are a number of fun options to be had.

The menu is indeed beverage heavy in an attempt to compete with Starbucks and Dunkin’. While some items such as basic coffees and hot chocolate can be found at any McDonald’s, others are unique concoctions for CosMc’s.

For variety, I tried three small drinks: the Churro Frappe, the Sour Tango Lemonade and a sweet tea.

As a fan of Starbucks’ Caramel Frappuccino, the Churro Frappe was a big hit for me. It had a good, even consistency of iciness and creaminess, and the bitterness of the cold brew coffee was balanced out with the sweet taste of cinnamon sugar.

I chose to top mine with a caramel drizzle, and I suspect it would work just as well with the chocolate drizzle option for an extra kick of sweetness.

The next beverage on my list was sweet tea, which is offered regionally in some McDonald’s shops (mostly in the South). To mix it up, I tried it with peach syrup, one of several “fruit syrups” and add-ins CosMc’s offers. It was a regrettable choice.

Although the tea itself was refreshing and sweet, the syrup add-in tasted a bit too artificial. While it didn’t render the tea undrinkable, I believe it would have stood better on its own.

The Sour Tango Lemonade was the most pleasant surprise of my order.

Arriving at the real-time updating menu to discover my first two options for a non-tea or coffee drink – the Berry Hibiscus Sour-Ade and the Island Pick-Me-Up Punch – were sold out before 11 a.m., this Yuzu lemonade was a fallback, but a delightful one.

True to its name, it is very, very sour and leans heavily on citrus flavor, even by lemonade standards.

As a longtime fan of sour candies, I enjoyed this drink immensely, as it was a good combination of sweet and sour, and I imagine it would be a good candidate to mix with the fruity or sweet popping bobas CosMc’s offers.

Although CosMc’s is mostly focused on drinks, it does have some food items on the menu. If you’re a “breakfast all day” fan, you’ll be happy to know that McMuffins are served until closing at 8 p.m., along with McDonald’s ice cream treats, cookies and pretzel bites.

However, the true gem of the food menu here is the newly introduced “McPops.” These soft, pillowy pastries are sold in bags of three and come filled with three flavors – apple cinnamon, hazelnut and cookie butter – or in a variety pack with one of each.

Each McPop is coated in sugar and filled with a nice amount of filling. I bought the variety pack and was legitimately hard-pressed to pick a favorite, as all were delicious.

Overall, CosMc’s is a fun concept and worth a visit if you’re someone who enjoys sweet, novelty drinks. If you’re just looking for a solid cup of coffee, you’re probably better off skipping the line and heading to your nearest favorite coffee stop.

But if you’re the sort of person who gets excited about Instagram-able desserts or theme park snacks, you might want to find the time to brave the line at CosMc’s – or at least put it on your future to-do list once the excitement wears off a little.