Australia hosted the first McDonald’s restaurant to use the McCafé concept.
The first McCafé opened in Melbourne in 1993. This was a branding extension rather than a completely separate restaurant chain: the café concept operated alongside McDonald’s food service and added espresso-based drinks and a more café-oriented presentation.
Australia provided an important testing ground for the idea because coffee culture was already highly developed there. After the Melbourne launch, McCafé expanded to other countries and became one of McDonald’s most recognizable sub-brands, especially in markets where café beverages are central to restaurant competition.
Japan, France, and Canada later became important McDonald’s markets with substantial coffee offerings, which can make them tempting answers. However, the first McCafé is specifically associated with Melbourne, Australia, in 1993.