McCafé is the McDonald’s coffee-bar brand that began in Melbourne, Australia.
The concept was launched in 1993 at a Melbourne McDonald’s restaurant. It was designed to give the restaurant a more café-like atmosphere and attract customers who preferred espresso drinks and a dedicated coffee setting. The idea was developed by McDonald’s Australia, with Charlie Bell later becoming closely associated with its growth.
McCafé expanded beyond Australia during the 2000s. It reached the United States in 2001, opening its first U.S. location in Chicago, and later spread through markets including the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada and parts of Europe. In Australia and New Zealand, it became a particularly prominent coffee-shop brand.
A common mix-up is treating McCafé as an independent café chain. It is a McDonald’s-owned brand, usually operated inside or alongside McDonald’s restaurants, although standalone locations have also existed in some markets.