McDonald's gave its coffeehouse-style beverage brand the name McCafé.
McCafé began in Melbourne, Australia, in 1993. The concept added espresso-based drinks and a café-style environment to McDonald's restaurants, helping the company compete more directly in the growing specialty-coffee market.
The McCafé name combines “Mc,” a long-standing McDonald's naming element, with “café,” clearly signaling the concept's coffeehouse positioning. It later expanded internationally and became a major part of McDonald's beverage branding.
McCafé is sometimes treated as though it began as a worldwide brand, but its origin was specifically an Australian pilot. The menu and store design have varied by country, while the name and café identity have remained recognizable across many markets.