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It has been an eventful late summer for McDonald’s, whether its entry into the value menu wars, maintaining their crown as the preferred french fry, or the chain’s latest announcement, the Collector’s Meal. The meal, which is served all day long in breakfast and lunch/dinner variations comes with one of six limited edition collectable cups featuring novelties like Hot Wheels, Barbie, Beanie Babies, and more.
CivicScience data show 19% of those who have heard of the new meal have already purchased it, while a noteworthy 27% haven’t purchased yet but do intend to do so. Gen Z is driving much of the purchasing for the collector’s meal but even 16% of Americans aged 55+ have some level of interest in purchasing the meal.
Join the Conversation: Will you try the Collector’s Meal?
Interest Among McDonald’s QSR Competitors
A deeper dive into CivicScience data shows customers of Jersey Mike’s, in particular, have a keen interest in the Collector’s Meal – 32% say they have already purchased the meal, while a further 26% are interested. Customers of Domino’s and Popeyes are also attracted to the collectible meal promotion.
But it’s not just QSR customers who are taking note of the promotional meal – even 14% of those who ‘never’ eat at fast-food/QSR restaurants have either already bought or plan to buy a collector’s meal. 1
The Increasing Influence of Nostalgia
The Collector’s Meal is far from McDonald’s first move tapping into consumer nostalgia for promotional success, but data show this may have been a particularly well-timed release. The percentage of U.S. adults who say they’re at least ‘somewhat’ likely to purchase something that makes them feel nostalgic for the past has risen by three percentage points to 56% since May of 2023. An even greater percentage of those who eat fast-food at least monthly (58%) say they’d be enticed to purchase something because it invoked feelings of the past for them. It also may serve to get consumers who don’t normally eat fast-food in the door as 34% of them are also influenced by nostalgia.2
Amid the ongoing value menu wars, where Americans are increasingly budget-conscious, the McDonald’s Collector’s Meal is cutting through the competition, attracting noteworthy interest. With national well-being on the decline as a tense election looms, nostalgia is offering a rare form of escape – one that consumers appear to be embracing more this year. Whether in fast-food or other sectors, businesses would do well to recognize the power of nostalgia.
