On September 8, 2020, McDonald’s released a collaboration the likes of which the world had not seen since 1992’s McJordan, a Quarter Pounder that came with bacon, barbecue sauce, fries and a drink in honor of Michael Jordan. With their new take on celebrity meal collaborations, McDonald’s chose rapper, Travis Scott, as the face for the new menu item.

The Travis Scott Meal comes with a Quarter Pounder topped with lettuce, onions, pickles, ketchup, mustard, and bacon, medium fries, a side of barbecue sauce, and a medium sprite, all for nearly three times the cost of a regular Quarter Pounder Meal despite the noticeable lack of differences between the two. However, this cost difference does not deter potential buyers as it has quickly become one of the most popular items on McDonald’s menu. The item inspired users on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram to record themselves ordering it purely for the novelty of the meal.

“I was first introduced to it on Friday because I was pushed back to working on sandwiches. There were so many, and when every order is Travvy-patty[Travis Scott Burger] it makes you question your sanity. When you look up on the screen and see Travis Scott, all you think is ‘I can’t make this again’,” NC senior Matthew Loveland said.

On top of selling the burger meal, McDonald’s and Travis Scott released merchandise such as shirts, sweatshirts, and a chicken nugget body pillow celebrating the collaboration between the two. The cost of the meal and the high prices of the merchandise clearly show McDonald’s and Travis Scott’s desire to maximize profits from the collaboration. The Nugget Body Pillow itself cost consumers 90 dollars. The merchandise store sold out within days, and as of now anyone looking to get their hands on the exclusive items must turn to resellers and can expect prices raised above the already steep original cost.

“On the surface, this looks like a regular burger meal, but any further consideration reveals that this is actually a genius marketing strategy. It’s a great way to sell a whole lot of what is essentially an overpriced Quarter Pounder,” NC junior Darren Godfrey said

Despite both orders featuring celebrities collaborating with McDonald’s to make a once in a lifetime offer, those looking to buy the McJordan could only do so at Chicago franchises in 1992. The McJordan’s exclusivity led to the shocking price of the gallon of sauce which sold in 2012 for $10,000. However, anyone in the U.S. can go to their nearest McDonalds and expect to find the Travis Scott burger until the end of the month. Do this widespread availability and obvious success of the simple meal mean that we could see more celebrity collaborations in the future, or will another twenty-eight years pass before something like this happens again?
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