The Golden Arches Go Global
Do we really see our favorite fast-food brand everywhere? Spoiler alert: yes, we do.
Think back. Remember Michael Scott in The Office declaring his undying love for the Filet-o-Fish? Or Richie Rich literally having a McDonald’s in his own mansion (a flex no billionaire has topped yet)? Or that moment when Selena Gomez and James Corden rolled into McDonald’s during the “Carpool Karaoke” segment and found her lyrics printed on the drink cups? This all – it’s not just a coincidence.
Across the world, travelers line up at local McDonald’s to hunt down exclusive menu items — a McArabia in Dubai, McSpaghetti in the Philippines, McAloo Tikki in India, or even a Teriyaki Burger in Japan. For some, it’s as much of a passport stamp as the local landmark. Comfort food, nostalgia, and a pop culture cameo, all rolled into one.
Hollywood’s Favorite Sidekick
For decades, McDonald’s has slipped effortlessly into the scripts of blockbuster films and binge-worthy shows. Sometimes it’s the background color, other times it’s the punchline, and often it’s the star of the scene.
From Coming to America’s cheeky McDowell’s parody (a love letter in disguise) to Houseguest, where Phil Hartman nearly chokes on a Big Mac, these moments don’t just make us laugh; they cement McDonald’s as shorthand for familiarity. Those golden arches are everywhere, from the big screen to the billboards and even in your dreams.
The Genius of “As Featured In”
That’s what makes McDonald’s global campaign As Featured In so clever. Instead of inventing new products, the brand leaned into its cinematic résumé, reminding fans that its menu has been part of pop culture’s DNA for decades. The Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, fries, and nuggets are so iconic that they don’t even need an introduction. Mention them out of context, and people’s minds immediately fill in the golden arches.
It’s not just nostalgia. It’s proof of the bond between people and their food. Whether you’re an A-list celebrity, a fictional character, or just someone looking for a midnight snack, McDonald’s is bound to show up with a little golden wink to its role in your story.
Pop Culture Meets Pop Meals
The most iconic of them all is when the brand began leaning more into pop culture with deliberate and strategic collaborations that became viral moments in their own right.
The Travis Scott Meal (so popular it caused shortages). The BTS Meal (which sent fandoms across the globe in a frenzy). By partnering with celebrities, musicians, and designers, McDonald’s has blurred the line between fast food and fandom. Suddenly, ordering a meal wasn’t just about lunch, it was a way to participate in culture and collect those limited-edition Happy Meal toys!
Even better – McDonald’s didn’t just stop there; it went ahead and aimed at the video game nerds, for example, they put out a limited-edition Pokémon Happy Meals at the start of 2025, and more recently introduced a Minecraft collab, following the release of “A Minecraft Movie,” which had kids (and adults) both lining up.
McDonald’s isn’t just a restaurant anymore. It’s a cultural connector. From drive-thru lyrics to limited-edition meals, from cameos in sitcoms to international menu hunts, the brand has become part of the way we tell stories, on screen, online, and around the table.
Fame Beyond the Fries
When you take a step back, McDonald’s appearances in film, TV, and music become more than just Easter eggs. They reflect how deeply the brand is woven into everyday life, across countries and across generations.
A brand once known solely for the iconic Big Mac and its golden fries has now soared to the status of an A-list celebrity – because those nuggets definitely deserve more screen time!
