The BTS Meal was a meal sold by the international fast food chain McDonald's in collaboration with the South Korean boy band BTS. Consisting of Chicken McNuggets, medium French fries, a medium Coca-Cola, and two spicy dipping sauces (Sweet Chili and Cajun), the BTS Meal was sold from May 26, 2021, to June 20, 2021, in select countries and eventually reached a total of fifty countries.
The BTS Meal consists of a 10- or 9-piece Chicken McNuggets,[1] medium french fries, a medium Coca-Cola, and Sweet Chili and Cajun dipping sauces inspired by "popular McDonald's South Korean recipes".[2]
A representative from the band's agency, Big Hit Entertainment, announced the collaboration between BTS and McDonald's through an official statement. Fans could purchase a meal coupon through a food ordering service prior to the official release.
Depending on the countries and location, the BTS Meal was available via dine-in, take-out, drive-through, and app-based orders, and it was only available during regular hours. The collaboration was the third collaboration for McDonald's. The BTS Meal was first released on May 26, 2021,[3][4] in select countries, including: the United States, Austria, the Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Paraguay, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Sint Maarten.[5] By late June, the meal had been released in fifty countries.[6] Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, massive crowds in Indonesia reportedly forced the temporary closure of many outlets,[7] whereas in Singapore, the meal could only be ordered via delivery to prevent crowding at outlets due to the pandemic.[8] Upon its release, the BTS-inspired packaging that the meal was served in was listed for resale on several e-commerce platforms,[1] including Carousell.[9] The promotion was discontinued on June 20, 2021.[10]
Writing for the Chicago Tribune, Louisa Chu found the dipping sauces "smooth, but unsurprising".[11] Rebecca Alter of Vulture praised McDonald's business acumen, while stating that the collaboration "made me optimistic for the future of musician promos at chains".[12] William Mullally of Esquire Middle East described the Cajun dipping sauce as "the stuff of fast food greatness".[13]
In 2021, the release reached over a million sales in South Korea,[14] and caused an increase in sales, according to McDonald's.[15]
