McDonald's launched McCafé in Australia in 1993 to identify its espresso-based coffee concept.
The concept began as a branded café area inside or alongside McDonald's restaurants. It gave the company a way to present espresso drinks as a distinct part of the customer experience rather than simply another item on the standard beverage menu.
McCafé later expanded to other countries and became a significant sub-brand. Its visual identity, menu, and store layout could vary by market, reflecting local coffee habits and restaurant formats.
The name is sometimes written without the accent in ordinary text, but the brand is commonly styled as McCafé. The Australian origin is also distinct from the later worldwide expansion of the concept.