Fandom Feast

McDonald's Japan's app had many users, but a large share only opened it to check coupons, never moving on to actively ordering or paying through it. 'Fandom Feast' let fans order limited-edition menus curated by idols directly in the app, then eat the same meal as their favorite idol while interacting in real time through a livestream. By extending Japanese fandom's culture of 'eating together with your favorite idol' into the digital space, it turned payment from the end of a transaction into the beginning of entertainment.

McDonald's Japan turned the solo fast-food meal into a shared event with fans' favorite pop idols. Fans ordered bespoke combos that the idols themselves designed and named, then joined live streams to eat 'together' with them in real time — chatting, following along, and sharing a table through the screen. The idea grew straight out of Japan's 'oshi' fan culture, where people already dine beside acrylic figures of the stars they adore. The launch drew over 4 million views, sold 368,335 idol meals, and pushed Gen Z app sign-ups to 125% of their pre-campaign level.

In Japan, your 'oshi' is the idol or performer you are devoted to, and many fans eat meals beside an acrylic stand-up figure of that idol to feel less alone — a response to one of the world's highest rates of solitary dining (Japan ranks 133rd of 142 countries for sharing meals). 'Maku' is a common regional nickname for McDonald's, which the campaign folds into the hashtag for its real-time co-dining ritual.