McDonald's introduced the McCafé concept in Australia in 1993.
The first McCafé opened in Melbourne, creating a café-style area within a McDonald’s restaurant. The concept responded to growing interest in espresso-based coffee and gave McDonald’s a branded way to compete in the café and specialty-coffee market.
McCafé later expanded internationally and became one of McDonald’s most recognizable sub-brands. Its visual identity, menu boards, cups, and coffee-focused product range were designed to distinguish the café offer while keeping it connected to the parent company.
The concept’s Australian origin is often overlooked because McCafé is now associated with restaurants across many countries. It also should not be confused with McDonald’s original restaurant menu: McCafé was a later branded development focused specifically on café beverages and related foods.