McDonald's introduced the McCafé coffeehouse concept at a Melbourne restaurant in 1993.
The first McCafé opened in Melbourne, Australia, creating a dedicated coffeehouse-style area within a McDonald's restaurant. The concept expanded the brand beyond its traditional association with hamburgers, fries, and soft drinks by emphasizing espresso-based beverages and café-style presentation.
McCafé later spread to other countries and became one of McDonald's most recognizable sub-brands. Its design and menu varied by market, but the underlying branding connected coffee service with the established McDonald's name.
The first McCafé is sometimes incorrectly placed in the United States or dated to the international expansion that followed. The original concept began in Australia in 1993, while later markets introduced their own local versions at different times.