The Travis Scott Meal by McDonald’s is the Franchise’s First Celebrity-Branded Meal Since the McJordan

Image from Travis Scott's Twitter.

McDonald’s has named a meal after rapper Travis Scott, marking the first time the quick-service restaurant chain has promoted a celebrity-branded meal since it introduced the Michael Jordan-inspired McJordan over 30 years ago. Scott announced the partnership on Twitter this week with the caption “CACTUS JACK FOR MCDONALD’S.” The tweet already has over 250,000 likes. 

The announcement arrives just a few days after 52 former franchisees filed a discrimination lawsuit against the chain, accusing the company of steering Black owner-operators into underperforming locations.

McDonald's said the company has been working with Scott, a long time fan of the brand, for months. 

"Travis is one of the biggest musical artists and cultural icons in the world, with widespread appeal and an especially loyal following among young people. We embarked on this journey because Travis is a true McDonald’s brand fan who resonates with youth all over the map," the company said in a statement.

From Sept. 8 through Oct. 4, McDonald’s customers will be able to buy The Travis Scott Meal, which includes a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, bacon and lettuce and served with medium fries, BBQ Sauce for dipping and a Sprite. 

By teaming up with the Billboard-topping artist and music producer, McDonald’s joins several brands turning to hip social-media influencers to help boost revenues amid COVID-19 by appealing to a younger demographic. 

The virtual restaurant chain, Denver-based Nextbite, recently announced plans to partner with Wiz Khalifa for HotBox by Wiz. This week, Dunkin’ named a drink after TikTok sensation Charli D'Amelio. Veteran restaurateur Robert Ear is planning a virtual concept called Tyga Bites, named after the Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist. Chipotle Mexican Grill has also offered pre-built meals by cultural influencers such as social media star David Dobrik. 

Older franchisors like McDonald’s and Dunkin’ work with young celebrities because they often have far more influence than brands themselves, especially on social media platforms. Scott and McDonald’s will be using that influence to explore opportunities to support charitable organizations during the Travis Scott Meal promotion period. In addition, customers might see workers sporting custom apparel designed by “Cactus Jack” during the promotion.

“I couldn’t be more excited to bring the Cactus Jack x McDonald’s collaboration to life,” Scott said in a statement. “We are bringing together two iconic worlds. I can’t wait for people to see what we have in store.”