Australia opened the first McCafé in 1993, creating McDonald's coffeehouse sub-brand.
The first McCafé began at a McDonald's restaurant in Melbourne, Australia. The concept was designed to give customers a more café-like coffee experience while remaining within the McDonald's restaurant network.
The idea expanded beyond Australia and became an important part of McDonald's beverage branding in many countries. McCafé locations and menus have varied by market, but the name generally signals espresso-based drinks, pastries, and a more specialized coffee offer.
A common mix-up is identifying the United States as the birthplace of McCafé because the brand later became visible there. However, the first McCafé was Australian. Its 1993 launch also predates the major expansion of many modern specialty-coffee chains into global fast-food competition.