Ex-McDonald’s chef questions if influencer meals are actually popular

A former McDonald’s chef has questioned if customers are actually being ‘enticed’ by influencer meals in a brand-new TikTok. 

Over the years, McDonald’s has partnered with plenty of pop culture icons for special meals. We’ve seen the Pokemon crossovers that fans want to buy so they can get free cards, as well as the Ricky and Morty collab that went wild for Szechuan Sauce.

More recently, the fast food outlet has been linking up with influencers across the globe. In the US, Kai Cenat helped with the Chicken Big Mac launch and WNBA star Angel Reese became the first female athlete to get a collab. 

While fans of the influencers might celebrate the crossovers, former McDonald’s chef Mike Haracz has questioned if anyone is actually changing their mind when ordering food just so they can get a different bag and cup.

Ex-McDonald’s chef questions influencer meals

The former corporate chef, who has over 300,000 followers on TikTok, asked his followers if they’re ‘enticed’ by the unique graphics given that McDonald’s isn’t doing anything different with the food.

“You’re not getting anything new. It is a barbecue bacon quarter pounder and all of the same normal stuff,” Haracz said about the Reese crossover. “I’m willing to be that the barbecue one is the same as my glazed buttermilk chicken tenders because why would they develop anything new? That doesn’t sound much fun!

“My question is, is the art on the cup and the bag going to entice you to buy this influencer meal? How many of you are actually saving these cups or bags?”

As noted, sometimes these crossovers are interesting because you’re getting a keepsake from it – be it a toy or something else. That isn’t the case here.

McDonald’s, obviously, must find success in them to keep doing the collabs. So, don’t expect them to stop any time soon.