5 best McDonald's celebrity meal deals
Renowned for its hamburgers, French fries, and other fast food items, the American multinational fast food chain McDonald's has enjoyed global presence for decades. To boost sales and raise brand awareness, the brand began endorsing celebrity meals as early as 1992.
Initially introduced as a marketing tactic to attract younger customers, these collaborations have helped McDonald's successfully leverage the popularity of top celebrities. Not only do they create excitement among fans eager to try limited-time meals, but they also serve as a cost-effective way to promote new or existing menu items.
Let’s take a look at five of the best celebrity meals that the quick-service restaurant chain has offered its fans over the years.
Disclaimer: The meal choices in this list are solely based on the author's opinion.
From The McJordan Meal to The BTS Meal: Here are the top five McDonald's celebrity meals
1) The McJordan Meal
McDonald's journey with celebrity meals began with "The McJordan Meal," according to reports by One37pm. A special tribute to basketball legend Michael Jordan, the meal was launched in 1992 and was reportedly limited to participating locations in the Chicagoland area.
The meal featured a special menu item called the McJordan Special, accompanied by classic fries and a drink. Notably, the McJordan Special was the athlete's personalized take on the Quarter Pounder, as he reportedly didn’t like the standard offering.
The centerpiece of the meal, Michael Jordan's quarter-pounder burger, came topped with cheese, bacon, onion, mustard, pickles, and barbecue sauce.
2) The BTS Meal
In May of 2021, Mickey D's teamed up with the famous South Korean boy band, BTS, to launch "The BTS Meal." Marking the first globally available celebrity meal by the fast food chain, it featured a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, medium fries, and a medium Coke.
The meal also introduced two special dipping sauces: Sweet Chili and Cajun, which sparked excitement among fans, particularly in the U.S., as they had reportedly never been available in the country before. Notably, the collaboration extended beyond food, featuring a line of exclusive merchandise including hoodies, t-shirts, bathrobes, and more.
3) The Angel Reese Special
Launched on February 10, 2025, for a limited time, "The Angel Reese Special" marked a collaboration between McDonald's and celebrated women's basketball player Angel Reese. The meal featured a bacon Quarter Pounder with cheese, accompanied by a brand-new barbecue sauce crafted specifically for the burger, along with fries and a choice of drink.
This collaboration made Angel Reese the first female athlete to have a namesake meal with the fast-food chain. Additionally, the meal paid a homage to McDonald's very first basketball-themed celebrity meal, "The McJordan Meal."
4) The Travis Scott Meal
On September 3, 2020, the fast food restaurant chain McDonald's announced a partnership with American artist Travis Scott to launch "The Travis Scott Meal." Priced at $6, the meal quickly sold out due to overwhelming demand.
It featured a Quarter Pounder burger with bacon, cheese, and shredded lettuce, paired with a Sprite, fries, and BBQ sauce. This collaboration was a groundbreaking multi-level partnership, incorporating cross-branded merchandise and joint charity efforts between The Golden Arches and Cactus Jack.
5) The Mariah Menu
In Christmas 2021, McDonald's announced that American singer-songwriter and record producer Mariah Carey would be the face of its holiday menu. Called "The Mariah Menu," the special offering ran from December 13 to December 24.
The menu items were served in festive custom packaging, and fans were treated with limited-edition merchandise, including beanies and t-shirts. Additionally, the brand also offered freebies to the customers who ordered through the McDonald's app and spent more than $1, as part of the promotion.
The twelve-day free rollout featured McDonald's classics such as Big Mac, Six-piece Chicken McNuggets, McChicken, Double Cheeseburger, Sausage McMuffin with Egg, Hotcakes, Apple Pie, and more.
Besides these stars, McDonald's has also collaborated with other artists like Saweetie, Cardi B and Offset, and J Balvin. While the brand is a global powerhouse on its own, these partnerships have certainly helped it benefit over the years, giving a major boost to sales and brand recognition.