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News.com.au
2 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
CosMc's: McDonald's wild burgerless new concept baffling customers
A McDonald's without burgers seems a ludicrous idea. Like Bondi Beach without backpackers; or a Melbourne day with fewer than four seasons. And yet, on the outskirts of Chicago, there is exactly that: a Macca's without a pattie in sight. No Quarter Pounders, no McChickens, not even a hint of a fry, French or otherwise. This is CosMc's: a bold experiment by McDonald's to capture consumers who are less into Happy Meals and more into the sugary desserts masquerading as drinks that you might find at Starbucks. Selflessly, here at we've tried some of this espresso slushies and neon cordials as well as the decidedly un-Macca's like bites, so you know what they're actually like. And some of the food items in particular are so fast-food fab, after trying one you wouldn't mind if you never ate a Big Mac again. Not everyone is convinced though, with one Macca's lover telling they 'drove off' when they saw it wasn't the real deal. 'The premium beverage space has been growing, and McDonald's wants to play in the arena,' a retail analyst told But, he warned, success will be 'hard to accomplish' and, so far, the signs for McDonald's new chain are patchy at best. There are growing signs that CosMc's could end up being a failed experiment. CosMc's first outpost On the side of a highway in Bolingbrook, Illinois, an hour west of Chicago deep in suburbia, is a very standard McDonald's. Its drive-through and kids playground wouldn't look out of place on the side of any main road in Australia. Next to it though is something notable. On the site of a former rotisserie chicken restaurant is a mutant Macca's: CosMc's. The famous golden arches logo is there, but it's subtle. The store is not painted red and yellow, but vibrant purple and yellow. It has a kind of 1950s Jetson's space age quality about it. The name is derived from 'CosMc's' a McDonald's mascot from TV commercials in the late 1980s, a robot with eight arms and a weakness for stealing hamburgers. It's here that the burger king wants in on coffee. While Macca's sells some basic beverages, people don't make a beeline for McDonald's when they want a sugary slushie espresso. Indeed, Starbucks has around 16,000 outlets in the US outnumbering McDonald's 13,500. CosMc's, McDonald's hopes, could change all that. 'McDonald's core business in the US is a mature and saturated business and that limits growth,' Neil Saunders, the managing director, retail, of US research from Global Data, told 'CosMc's operates in a completely different segment – the popular and fast-growing beverage space – and McDonald's wants to see if it can grab some share of that market'. Drinks are very sweet, food is spicy When the first CosMc's opened, just over a year ago, McDonalds's said the new sub-brand was 'rooted in beverage exploration, with bold and unexpected flavour combinations, vibrant colours and functional boosts'. What that manifests itself on the menu is an eclectic range of slightly bonkers drinks. Perhaps an Iced French Toast Galaxy Latte? An Iced Turmeric Spiced Latte? Too normal sounding for you? CosMc's also offers the Sea Salted Caramelactic Shaken Espresso. Dazzling in an orangey pink hue is the Island Pick-Me-Up Punch, consisting of 'punched up' berry flavoured 'powered' lemonade with dried strawberries? All 'natural,' the description assures. Then there's Sprite Moonsplash and Pomegranate Hibiscus Slush. tried the bright purple Tropical Spiceade. Tropical is a vague flavour. In reality it was a not very spice berry cordial. Sweet was the overwhelming taste. The Churro Cold Brew Frappe was a cold creamy – and very sweet – Frappuccino adjacent brew which doesn't taste of churros so much but does have a hint of cinnamon Many of the drinks simply seemed to exist to be colourful and sweet – there was little to differentiate them aside from the hue. You'll give up Big Macs for this The food was more interesting. Apple cinnamon pops were little doughnut balls which were, no surprise, sweet, but they had nice tangy burst of viscous apple sauce. The closet you'll get to classic Macca's fare is a creamy avocado tomatillo sandwich. Tomatillos are a Mexican fruit used in salsas. And it turns a bite that could have a passing resemblance to a bland bacon and egg McMuffin into a spicy delight within a brioche bun. It's got a kick and I'd happily kick a Big Mac to the kerb for good if these were readily available. Other choices are less successful. The pretzel bites are bland – warmed dough with chunky salt crystals. But, then, that's pretzels for you. But a spicy, creamy queso dip livens it up. 'I drove off' But customers appear to be confused as to whether it's a Macca's or not. 'I thought it was McDonald's,' one CosMc's customer remarked. 'But then I saw the menu and drove off.' This could be an issue, said Global Data's Mr Saunders. 'CosMc's needs to stand on its own and not be compared to McDonald's as it's a completely separate proposition. 'The market is saturated with choice, so CosMc's will need to establish itself. 'It needs to become a part of people's routines and that can be hard to accomplish. 'At the moment it is still seen as something of a novelty; it needs to move beyond that.' Mr Saunders added that 'constrained consumer finances' likely 'will not be good for discretionary spending on expensive beverages'. Just look at Starbucks. In the first three months of 2025, its sales fell 2 per cent in the US. It's put in place a turnaround plan. Awkwardly for CosMc's that has actually seen it axe the number of sweet, creamy drinks after customers who simply wanted, you know, a coffee complained they were awaiting while sugar caffeine cocktails were whipped up. Worrying signs for CosMc's McDonald's, if anything, is doing it worst. Its US sales fell 3.6 per cent during the same period as consumers slowed down their splurging – even on fast food. In January, it said it would close three of its larger CosMc's locations. There were only eight in total to begin with. Aside from the Illinois outpost, they are all now in Texas in and around Dallas and San Antonino. The fast food firm said the smaller branches allowed it to 'test new, unique circumstances that are reflective of our customer base'. Just this month, CosMc's said the CosMc's Club loyalty program would shutter – hardly a sign that brand is thriving. McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski has now revealed that some of CosMc's beverages will be added to the main Macca's menu in the US. The Sour Energy Burst and Sprite Moonshine could be sold alongside Fanta and Coke. So is CosMc's just a test bed of its big brother after all? A mini Macca's of bonkers beverages and intriguing eats to see what customers really want? Mr Saunders wasn't so sure saying he saw 'little mileage' in having a small, expensive, chain simply as a testing ground for new drinks. 'McDonald's is still in the experimental phase of CosMc's. 'Over the next few years, they will either scale it (up),' he said. 'Or they will drop it.'
Telegraph
13-05-2025
- General
- Telegraph
My secret formula to get my husband to do more housework
While sex in my own marriage was satisfying, it had become more irregular – averaging two to three times a month – because of busy work schedules, tiredness, kids and, well, housework. Sometimes I came to bed long after my husband because I didn't want to leave kitchen counters stacked with dishes. The feminist in me hated the thought of leveraging sex to get my husband to do something he should do anyway. But the counsellor said that the natural give and take of relationships already includes plenty of things you do simply because your partner wants or needs them. 'Besides, most of these ladies find that once things get going, they enjoy it too,' she said, plucking a crostini from a platter. And thus my 'Friday Night Leg Over Experiment' was born. The idea was simple: for two months I would initiate sex every Friday night, then see if that prompted him to chip in more over the weekend. I did this without informing him so I wouldn't skew the results. (If he had known I was trying to buy housework with sex, it could have led to a supply-and-demand, inflationary pricing situation that didn't bear thinking about.) My findings turned out to be quite different from what I expected, including the impact of scheduled sex on me. Here's what happened: Week 1 I was ready and excited for the experiment. The first Friday night, my husband seemed surprised and delighted when I turned to him for something more than the perfunctory goodnight kiss. The evening was a nice, unexpected ego boost for both of us. Week 2 This time he initiated and I responded. After a long week for both of us, it was nothing fancy, but nice nonetheless. Week 3 Adding sex to a to-do list, alongside scrubbing the tub and descaling the kettle, has made it feel like a chore. Week 4 Pavlovian response seemed to have set in. We turned towards each other more from weekly habit than sexual magic. Oh well. Week 5 After a late night with friends, we fell instantly asleep. I made up for it on Saturday morning before taking the kids out for the day. Nice enough, even though I was watching the clock a little. Week 6 I realised with surprise that this had become a reliable weekly opportunity to reconnect. It felt like we were focussing on and caring for each other. Week 7 It felt like we had reached an easy equilibrium. Sometimes I initiated, sometimes he did, but 'Friday nights' had become a regular part of our relationship, beneficial to both of us. Week 8 I've stopped counting the weeks now…. The experiment has unintentionally given our 10-year-plus sex life new energy, with emotional dividends too. In a way, it's unsurprising. As relationship experts often point out, sex helps to improve intimacy in a marriage, as well as making the individuals feel better about themselves, and now, instead of waiting around for the 'perfect moment', me and my husband are creating it. Even on those evenings when I tell myself I'm not in the mood, once we've started I get into it – just like the counsellor predicted. My fear that I might be 'buying' housework with sex has also evaporated. Which is ironic because, well, he's doing more of it. Signs were promising on the first Saturday when he took out the rubbish without my asking. That could have been a coincidence, but he was noticeably more cheerful and affectionate for days afterwards. The next weekend, he offered to run a Saturday errand with the kids so I could 'relax at home' (also known as folding and putting away laundry, but still a welcome respite). Over the weeks, he began to reliably do his regular chores while also running one-off errands. He no longer abandoned his socks on the bedroom floor or – even more maddeningly – on top of the laundry basket and started to actually put them in it. As he contributed more at home, I realised I could help too. I stopped making comments like, 'Did you see this mess?' or 'You do know you can put your dishes straight into the dishwasher instead of leaving them for me?' Instead, I started sharing observations like, 'Oh this bin is getting full.' And he responded by tying it off and taking it out. Initially I went into this experiment with a single hope: to lighten my own load on the domestic front. Ultimately though, I stumbled upon a way to reset our relationship, allowing both of us to show more consideration, cooperation and care for each other, with or without the Viakal. I never did tell my husband about the Friday Night Leg Over Experiment – although, as a clever man, he might have suspected something. 'Isn't this nice,' he remarked a few weeks in, looking round the sitting room before glancing at me with a twinkle in his eye.
Washington Post
08-05-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Eggs are less likely to crack when dropped on their side, according to science
NEW YORK — Eggs are less likely to crack when they fall on their side, according to experiments with over 200 eggs. What does this mean for the best way to crack an egg for breakfast ? Not much, since a break around the middle is the best way to get the golden yolk and runny whites to ooze out.
Fast Company
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fast Company
What happens when you mix random stuff in a bowl for 100 days? TikTok found out
Ever wondered what happens when you add random household items to the same bowl every day for 100 days straight? Well, you're in luck. One TikTok account has made it their mission to find out—so you don't have to. The anonymous account, known simply as Bowl of Danger, adds 'random stuff' to a bowl each day until they 'get in danger.' The experiment began in January with a dollop of sunscreen. Each day, something new entered the mix: sugar, whipped cream, deodorant, lit firecrackers, batteries, nail polish, vodka, a whole pizza, a Big Mac. 'Can't imagine how bad that reeks,' someone wrote in the comments. 'I just unlocked a new facial expression,' added a second. Another warned, 'No cuz I genuinely think we're making a pandemic' (check out day 25 at your own risk). For every person who scrolls past in horror, plenty are invested. Some of the most viral Bowl of Danger videos have racked up millions of views, with fans suggesting new items to add. As for Day 100? The video was taken down, but according to the comments, it involved a firecracker and an explosion. Since Bowl of Danger went viral, a number of copycat accounts have emerged. There's The Danger Bowl, naturally, and Bowl of Living —an organic version of the original series. 'Mold is just a simple form of life,' the creator says. 'I want to create something more—like a new species.'
Daily Mail
06-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Man who didn't sit down for five days in a row reveals what happened to his body in fascinating before and after images
Experts have long said that standing is better than sitting—but a gruelling experiment undertaken by one man has revealed it may not be as beneficial as we've been told. In a YouTube video that has amassed nearly four million views, Lucas Ball, a US-based 'self-certified stunt man', refused to sit down for five days in order to test the health benefits of remaining upright. For 16 hours a day he stood and could only relax when he was sleeping, which he set himself a strict eight hour timer for. There were exceptions however, for example squatting over the toilet and having to drive his car—though he didn't let his bum touch the seat. 'So, I've stood up. I can't sit back down now. This Journey has begun,' he said as the experiment commenced. Commenting on the use of his standing desk at the start of the experiment, Mr Ball said he'd seen initial 'promising' results, as the position left him feeling 'productive', with little opportunity to get distracted 'I had a ton of energy, and I wasn't even thinking about sitting down,' he said. The video sees him watching TV, eating his dinner and performing physical exercise like lifting weights, all while standing up. But by day three it was taking a toll on his body, his posture was getting worse and he started to gain weight. He said: 'On day three it really hit me in the lower legs and feet, I felt very sore and tired. On top of this I was also extremely hungry,' adding that eating distracted him from the pain. 'Maybe I was hungry from burning extra calories, but one thing I noticed is that when I was eating, it took my mind off of standing up. Partially for this reason, I constantly ate throughout the entire day.' 'When I got towards the end, and I started to relax that is where the soreness and fatigue really started to creep in,' adding that even in bed he couldn't find relief as the soreness in his legs meant he couldn't get comfortable. 'It has been rough waking up, getting up, walking around.' By the end of the five days, he said his posture took a hit, with his upper back more rounded into a slouching position. As well as the joint ache in his knees and hip, he gained a pound on the scale. He said: 'My hip, and knees are kind of starting to ache in a way that's more than just muscular. 'It looks like I'm mainly going in a negative direction when it comes to this experiment, but I had a ton of great experiences and a ton of eye—opening moments.' However, there appeared to be a silver lining. By the end of the ordeal his lower back felt 'incredible' and far less less tight. What's more, he developed extra curve in his lower spine, which is known to help improve balance and flexibility. The YouTuber also noticed his digestion was 'faster and smoother', as the gravity meant food empties from the stomach more quickly. People in the UK spend an average of about nine hours sitting per day. It comes as a recent study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology found that standing more than sitting does not lower the chances of suffering heart and vascular issues. The Australian scientists, who tracked the exercise patterns of more than 80,000 people in the UK, found standing for two hours daily did little to reduce the chance of developing circulatory problems. Dr Matthew Ahmadi, an expert in population health at the University of Sydney and study lead author, said: 'Standing for too long will not offset an otherwise sedentary lifestyle and could be risky for some people in terms of circulatory health. 'We found that standing more does not improve cardiovascular health over the long term and increases the risk of circulatory issues.'
