While celebrity collaborations with various brands including food corporations have been done for decades, 2021 really did seem to be a turning point where it became a trend. Fast food chains and beverage companies have used celebrities as the faces of campaigns and certain products — many of which have been unexpected. Often, celebrities teaming up with fast food brands feels like a natural fit. But other times, it couldn’t feel more random if they tried. Celebrity collabs are done best when the brand is in some way related to well-known characteristics of the celebrity or vice-versa. It’s more likely to convince us fans that the celeb actually uses this product. The last few years has led to the release of more celebrity food collabs than I could count, some great, some forced. Here’s a ranking of the celebrity fast food collabs, ranking from most confusing to the most natural fit.
8. Saweetie x McDonald’s
We’re starting the list with one of, if not the, most iconic fast food restaurants. In the past few years, McDonald’s has released several food collaborations with celebrities, some hits and some misses. Unfortunately, Saweetie’s 2021 McDonald’s collab just missed the mark when it came to cleverness. The Saweetie meal looks like one a good portion of people already order. It included a Big Mac, 4-piece chicken McNuggets, medium fries, and a medium Sprite. While this meal does sound delicious, there is nothing particularly unique about it that screams Saweetie.
7. 21 Pilots x Chipotle
This might be one a lot of people, including myself, had missed while it was available. The alternative band 21 Pilots and Chipotle released a burrito in 2021 with chicken, white rice, fresh tomato salsa, roasted chili-corn salsa, cheese, romaine lettuce, and queso blanco. Chipotle has become a fan favorite for much of Gen Z for its healthy options and commitment to sustainability, so collabing with a band that was wildly popular among this generation was clever marketing at least. But once again, the connection between 21 Pilots and a Chipotle burrito seems a bit weak. Plus, the burrito itself wasn’t anything special.
6. Justin Bieber x Tim Hortons
Justin Bieber also joined the food collaboration game in 2021 with Tim Horton's. Already, this collaboration feels as if there is a bit more merit with the most popular Canadian singer teaming up with the most popular Canadian coffee chain. Compared to the other collaborations mentioned so far that were just speciality orders, Justin Bieber got his own line of doughnuts and cold brew charmingly named “Timbiebs Timbits” and “Biebs Brew.”
5. Charli x Dunkin'
In 2020, Charli D’Amelio released her own drink with Dunkin’ fittingly named “The Charli.” Charli was a self-proclaimed Dunkin' fan, and her limited-edition drink was an opportunity for her fans to give her go-to order a try. “The Charli” is a standard Dunkin’ cold brew with whole milk and three pumps of caramel swirl. Realistically, there was nothing really limited-edition about the drink besides the name, and you can definitely still order it the old fashioned way.
4. Meg thee Stallion x Popeye’s
Megan thee Stallion has become one of the most popular rappers to come from the south in the last decade, so it seems only fitting that her food collab would be with the southern food chain Popeye’s. She became a franchisee in 2021 with a plan to open multiple locations. In addition, Megan released a co-branded sauce with Popeye's as hot as her lyrics.
3. Ice Spice x Dunkin'
As 2023 is coming to an end, it really feels like it has been Ice Spice’s year. She established herself in music with her feature on the hit song “boy’s a liar pt. 2,” in entertainment with a song on the Barbie movie’s soundtrack, and now, in food with her collaboration with Dunkin’. Other stars have had coffee collaborations with Dunkin’, but hers felt especially tailored with the drink named after her fanbase, called Munchkins. The Pumpkin Munchkins drink blends frozen coffee with pumpkin munchkin doughnut holes and caramel drizzle.
2. Kim Kardashian x Alani
Energy drinks have had a resurgence in popularity over the past few years, one of the large brands being Alani who recently released a flavor with Kim Kardashian. Her flavor, “Kimade,” is a pink lemonade that is perfect before a workout. With Kim in her fitness influencer era recently combined with the bright pink can, this collab felt near perfect.
1. Travis Scott x McDonald’s
Travis Scoot’s collaboration with McDonald’s was not only successful but has in many ways become the aspiration for all other collaborations following. One of the most popular rappers and most popular fast food chains in the world was surely going to draw success just by the names. But the creativity in which this collaboration was done, not only including speciality meals but also merchandise, really cemented it as a culturally-influential moment.
The meal included a Quarter Pounder with cheese, bacon, and lettuce, a medium order of fries with BBQ sauce, and a Sprite. The collection of signature t-shirts has many different designs, but the most popular has a McDonald’s logo with the word “Crew” written in the sketching style used in much of Travis Scott’s music branding. Travis Scott has become one of the many male style icons for Gen Z and having the ability to buy shirts that are not basic merch but unique fashion pieces has proven to be very appealing. Combining a nostalgic restaurant for many fans of Travis Scott with the current climate of streetwear fashion made the Travis Scott x McDonald’s collaboration successful for years after its launch.