Photo illustration: The Cut Photography: Dunkin', Sweetgreen, Wingstop, McDonald's, Grubhub
In 2021, McDonald's could never have predicted the relentless onslaught of celebrity endorsement deals the company would unleash after it tapped Travis Scott as the first celebrity to oversee the menu for the fast-food empire since Michael Jordan. But once the idea was planted in the cultural zeitgeist, it was impossible to bring back that capitalist genie in a Happy Meal bottle. For the rest of us, it suddenly seemed impossible to buy anything from a fast-food chain that wasn't officially endorsed by a celebrity, from Megan Thee Stallion's Hottie Sauce at Popeyes to the millennial-friendly burritos that came out of Chipotle's collaboration with Twenty One Pilots.
That era may have reintroduced us to the concept of celeb-approved food, but 2023 was the year Meal Deals officially took a very strange turn. This marketing pivot seems to be a direct response to yet another McDonald's partnership, a very generic date-night-esque pairing with Cardi B and Offset that left fans feeling a bit cold. In the aftermath of that launch, Mickey D's competitors seem to have realized that these types of brand partnerships are increasingly coming out of their own pockets. Whether it's a hip-hop song themed around fast food delivery or a nude photoshoot done on a bed of lettuce, these stars understand that a simple product endorsement is no longer enough to make a difference.
To take the guesswork out of which of the 2023 celeb meal plans are actually worth it, I've ranked them from worst to best based on creativity, brand synergy, and of course, how delicious all this food actually is. Please enjoy!
Photo: McDonald's USA LLC
To celebrate Valentine's Day, Cardi B and Offset announced they had partnered with McDonald's for a double-header meal deal during the Super Bowl. The fast food menu combinations seemed so uncharacteristic of the duo that many fans wondered if the first rap couple actually participated in those selections. The deal included a Classic Cheeseburger with BBQ sauce, a large Coke, a Quarter Pounder with cheese, large fries, a large Hi-C Orange Lava Burst, and an apple pie to share. Overall, it was a solid order, but its distinct lack of originality earned it the lowest spot on this list.
Photo: Wingstop Restaurants Inc.
Like Cardi and Offset's meal, Rat's collaboration with Wingstop ranks low on this list due to the lack of novelty in the meal itself. 777the menu includes 21 classic wings, two dips, and one large fries. But Latto took this recommendation a step further and came up with his own signature flavor, Lemon Herb Remix, a dry rub made up of “zesty lemon, aromatic herbs and savory garlic.” While it sounds delicious, it seems odd that a professional chicken seller hadn't come up with this flavor profile before. With ideas like this, Wingstop might want to consider bringing Latto on to their creative director board full-time.
Well, it's not exactly a fast food meal, but if these two pop stars are joining forces on new music, it seems like it would be well worth investing in a promotional ad. Ratt and Christina Aguilera created a hip-hop inspired ad to promote Menulog, an Australia and New Zealand-based food delivery service owned by Grubhub. I'm not sure what these two stars have to do with ordering takeout in Australia, but I'm glad someone in the marketing world believes in Beyoncé's 2001 MTV musical as strongly as I do. Carmen I can't wait for the sequel.
Photo: HALLS
Ratt clearly has big-brand energy. His collaboration with Holes marks his third appearance on this year's list. The rapper also seems to have a penchant for citrus, promoting another lemon-flavored product: a share jar of Holes' Honey Lemon Cough Drops. But Ratt isn't just endorsing this cold and flu season staple; he also offers up some inspirational words of wisdom on the lozenge wrapper, including sage advice like “keep on wearing your crown” and “believe in your security.” Personally, I'd be a bit more motivated by cough drops printed with Ratt's lyrics like, “Bad girl, I can be your fantasy,” but Holes is definitely on the right track here.
This very expensive salad slinger and star's partnership Mean Girls While it doesn't make much intuitive sense from a branding perspective, it ranks high on this list not only because I completely believe this is a salad that Rupp would normally eat, but also because the campaign photos for the launch are so bizarre. Promotional images include Rupp wearing a Sweet Green bag as a mini dress, bathing naked in a bowl of salad he chopped himself, and dipping a straw into a vat of dressing to drink. The salad in the bowl itself features roasted tofu, cilantro, cucumber, red onion, shredded cabbage, spicy broccoli, and tomatoes covered in spicy cashew dressing on a bed of mixed spring greens. And honestly, anything with a good slathering of spicy cashew dressing is a 10/10 to me.
To celebrate its first-ever Super Bowl ad, Dunkin' Donuts finally gave people what we've been waiting for. Dunkin' Donuts had iced coffee's biggest fan, Ben Affleck, work a shift at the drive-thru window at their Medford, Massachusetts store. His cameo in the ad was a huge hit on social media. Dunkin' Donuts brought Ben back for a second time, this time pairing him with the unexpected but equally appealing Iced Spice to officially usher in fall. Iced Spice helped kick off pumpkin spice season when the “Barbie World” rapper launched his Iced Spice Munchkins drink, which blends pumpkin donut holes with frozen Dunkin' Donuts coffee. Not only is the celebrity pairing great, but the drink itself is also super tasty. Though the big one has enough sugar to put you in a diabetic coma.
Just when you thought Dunkin' Donuts couldn't make the deal any sweeter, the doughnut shop announced this week that it's partnering with legendary housewife Martha Stewart to release martini shakers, martini glasses, and official Dunkin' Donuts recipes to help you get drunk in style this holiday season. As Martha would say, this is a good thing.
While all of the above have done a great job of leveraging their fame to generate sales, the title of Best Celebrity Meal Plan of 2023 can only go to one brand sponsorship deal. And this year, that honor undoubtedly belongs to the Dogg in the Box restaurant acquisition. Jack in the Box kicked off its partnership with Snoop Dogg by “Snoop-ifying” its Inglewood, California location with a menu featuring “Snizacs” and “Sides.” The menu also includes “Bizjars” like “Curlies,” “Jalepenezzle Poppers,” and “Tasty Mother Crackers.” The fast-food chain didn't stop there, asking Snoop to piping hot on its “Munchie Meal,” which consists of a spicy “Sauced & Loaded” chicken sandwich, a classic taco, medium-sized curly fries, a baked brownie, and a Sprite. And if there's anyone on this planet I could trust to handpick the perfect blend of 420-friendly snacks, it's definitely the man who's been working his ass off for the last 40 years: DO-double G.
