How Macca’s Aussie-born idea became a global success

McCafé was the most visited coffee shop in Australia in 2019.

The first McDonald’s McCafé concept was introduced in Swanson Street, in Melbourne’s CBD in 1993 in recognition of Melbourne as Australia’s coffee capital. Now, the brand has become an Aussie success story and global phenomenon, with 1,026 McCafé’s across Australia and more than 4,000 in 60 countries across the world. 

In a 2019 survey by pollster Roy Morgan, McCafe was the most visited coffee shop in Australia, having 2.3 million visitors in an average of four weeks. McDonald’s itself has 10.6 million Australians buying from its brand.

McCafe was a cafe concept that first originated in Swanson Street, in Melbourne’s CBD as a way to highlight the coffee capital of Australia. After opening its first international location in New Zealand, the brand is now a globally recognised concept, with 1,026 locations in Australia and more than 4,000 locations in 60 countries across the world.

Over the years, McCafé’s reputation for great-quality blends and barista-made coffee has seen it continue to evolve and keep up with customers’ changing coffee preferences and habits. For example, in 2011 McCafé introduced a darker roast to match Aussies’ preference for big bold flavours.

2012 saw the popularity of Flat White peaking as McCafé’s most popular coffee sold, before being taken over by the Cappuccino. The cafe concept also introduced manual espresso machines where coffee preparation becomes a mix of art and science.

In 2014, McCafé coffees were introduced to its drive-thrus.

McDonald’s also made sure that its in-house baristas have been specially trained to deliver great-quality, barista-made coffee with every cup, using the newest technology. To ensure that all baristas were experts in the coffee craft, McDonald’s launched the McCafé Barista Academy in 2017 – a place for baristas to complete further training with McCafé’s world-class barista trainers.  

McCafé celebrates 30 years

McDonald’s is celebrating 30 years since the world’s first McCafé opened in Melbourne with the launch of a new Birthday Cake flavoured Latte and coffee giveaways for Aussie customers.  

The celebrations kickstart this Wednesday, 24 May, with the introduction of the limited-time-only Birthday Cake flavoured Latte. Served hot or cold, the latte features McCafé’s signature smooth and rich blend combined with delicious cake flavours. 

Meanwhile, from 24 May to 6 June, customers in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Townsville will score free coffee with the McCafé coffee van going on tour along the eastern seaboard. 

“One of the innovations we’re most proud of at McDonald’s Australia is McCafé, a homegrown idea that has turned into a global success. McCafé changed McDonald’s approach to coffee across the world – inventing a new way of serving our customers and defining what it means to offer great-quality, barista-made coffee in our restaurants. With over 1,000 locations in Australia, McCafé is now one of the largest coffee retailers in the country, representing an impressive one in every four coffees sold in Australia,” Lancy Huynh, Group Brand Manager for McDonald’s Australia.