McDonald's launched the McCafé brand in Melbourne, Australia, in 1993.
The McCafé concept gave McDonald's restaurants a café-style identity centered on espresso drinks and related beverages. The first McCafé opened in Melbourne, where the idea was developed as a way to broaden McDonald's appeal beyond its traditional fast-food positioning.
McCafé is sometimes dated to its later international expansion because the branded coffee concept spread to many countries after its Australian beginning. The 1993 Melbourne launch is the key origin point, while the rollout timeline varied by market.
The brand extension became especially important as coffeehouse culture grew internationally. McCafé allowed McDonald's to add a more specialized beverage identity while retaining the parent company's familiar restaurant branding.