Commuters often like their coffee to go, but at McDonald’s, the cafe also travels.

The “Mobile McCafé” is driving across the country promoting McDonald’s McCafé offerings, which include mochas, lattes, hot chocolates and cappuccinos.

On June 3, the truck rolled into Geneseo to offer free samples to McDonald’s customers.

“People can be skeptical about spending their money for a product they don’t know what it tastes like,” explained Dennis Lozanne, an Atlanta, Ga., native and Mobile McCafe tour manager. “They like to be able to sample before they buy.”

In addition to an eight ounce sample, customers also are given a coupon for the product they tried. “They can sample it at the truck, and then go into the store and use the coupon to get another sample free,” he said.

McCafés have been a feature in some McDonald’s restaurants for awhile, but company officials only recently decided to make McCafés a regular in all McDonald’s stores.

Geneseo’s McCafé was installed in late 2008, said the store’s first assistant manager Linda Warner.

The Mobile McCafé is the only one of its kind in the United States, said Lozanne, however, additional trucks may be added. “It started as a 12-week national tour, but they’re thinking of expanding it to a year-and-a-half,” he said.

The truck, staffed by Lozanne and Kristin Knepper of Iowa, currently is touring the Midwest.

“We like to stop in the smaller towns, to show the customers that we appreciate their business,” said  Lozanne.

The Mobile McCafé is capable of producing between 500 and 1,000 samples a day, with the mochas and lattes being the top requested items.

Warner said the mochas and lattes also are the most popular drinks at the Geneseo store.
McCafé drinks can be prepared hot or cold, explained Lozanne, who said his personal favorite was the hot mocha.

The tour, said Lozanne, has been a success thus far. “Customers really love it. For them, being able to sample a product is a great thing.”