McDonald’s is still trying with its beverage-first concept, CosMc’s

Can the drinks-focused concept revive store growth in the US? Probably not.

1/13/25 9:59AM

No doubt you remember where you were on December 7, 2023, the day McDonald’s introduced its beverage-first, mostly Texas-based spin-off chain, CosMc’s. But now, just over a year on, the fast-food icon is revising the restaurant concept slightly, shutting down three of its biggest locations and opening two smaller ones.

While the chain has been almost exclusively confined to the Lone Star State in the trial phase (the first store opened in a Chicago suburb; the subsequent six have all been set up in Texas), McDonald’s execs are clearly keen to continue their “journey through the beverage galaxy” in search of profit pools.

No more towns left to conquer

Though it may not feel like it, Mickey D’s closing stores in America has become a lot more common, with the 85-year-old chain’s restaurant tally stalling in recent years.

After growing relentlessly for decades, the number of stores with the golden arches above their doorway fell for the first time in 2015. Over the next six years, McDonald’s would go on to shed 912 net restaurants in the US, including 244 in 2021 alone, after the company reportedly looked to close struggling stores to boost its average sales figures.

Clearly, if you’re a McDonald’s executive tasked with finding new ways to grow the company’s footprint, you have a tough gig — especially on your home turf in the US. Does the answer to reinvigorating store growth lie in one of CosMc’s best-selling drinks, like the “Island Pick-Me-Up Punch” or “Sour Cherry Energy Burst”? Considering that the CosMc’s experiment has been going for just a year and it’s already getting downsized… maybe not.

Perhaps it’s just time to bring back the PlayPlaces!

Max Knoblauch

Reddit bounces on report that it’s in talks with Google, OpenAI on fresh data-sharing deal

Reddit shares were down 5% in Wednesday trading before news that the company is in early talks to make its next AI content-sharing deals with Google and OpenAI sent them back up to roughly flat.

According to reporting by Bloomberg, Reddit is seeking a new data deal structure that includes dynamic pricing and would encourage the companies’ AI users to contribute to Reddit.

Reddit reportedly struck deals of $60 million per year with Google and OpenAI last year. The company scored $35 million in “other” revenue — which includes content licensing agreements — in its most recent quarter. That accounted for about 7% of the company’s overall revenue in the period.

“One of the things that we’ve learned, particularly through the data licensing deals is... how essential Reddit is to AI or LLMs as we know them and the next generation of search,” Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said on the company’s July earnings call. “And so I think a lot has changed over the last couple of years. Every variable has changed since we signed those first deals.”

Reddit Seeks to Strike Next AI Content Pact With Google, OpenAI

10h

DO YOU EVEN SIP, BRO?

Adam Chandler

Hyunsoo Rim

11h

VF Corp. is shedding its century-old workwear icon, Dickies, after years of struggle

The brand’s sales have been going backward for three straight years.

$100B

Nia Warfield

9/16/25

Alphabet’s YouTube said it’s paid out over $100 billion to creators, artists, and media companies over the past four years — cementing its place as one of the internet’s biggest talent magnets. The Google-owned platform, which turned 20 this year, credited connected TVs as a major driver of growth.

YouTube said the number of channels earning over $100,000 from TV screens has surged over 45% in the past year alone. Meanwhile, ad revenue for YouTube grew double digits in Q2 to $9.8 billion, topping the Street’s estimates.

Nia Warfield

9/16/25

Webtoon surges after Disney plans to invest and partner in digital push for brands like Marvel and “Star Wars”

Webtoon Entertainment shares jumped 36% in premarket trading Tuesday after Disney said it’s buying a 2% stake in the digital comics platform. The investment is part of a deal to bring Marvel, “Star Wars,” Pixar, and 20th Century Studios titles into a new streaming-style app run by Webtoon. The offering will launch in Q4 across the US and nine other countries.

“With a new platform that will combine our product and technical expertise with Disney’s full comic catalog, we’re giving new and longtime fans all over the world a new way to discover these legendary characters and stories,” said Junkoo Kim, founder and CEO of Webtoon Entertainment.

The platform is expected to host more than 35,000 titles, mixing archived comics with Webtoon originals. Disney+ perks could also be on the table, giving the service a natural tie-in to Disney’s broader streaming play.

The arrangement isn’t final yet: Disney’s stake and the platform details are still under negotiation. But with Webtoon’s ~155 million monthly active users, the partnership gives Disney a mobile-friendly channel for its comics while Webtoon gains the ultimate IP access.