Hongkongers are lovin’ it – the BTS Meal, that is.
The collaboration between McDonald’s and the K-pop superstars, launched in the city on June 3, is the company’s latest celebrity-themed combo meal. The order features medium-sized fries, nine chicken nuggets, a medium Coca-Cola drink and two special new sauces – Cajun and Sweet Chili.
The two special sauces were inspired by menu items available at McDonald’s branches in South Korea.
Michelle M picked up a BTS Meal at a branch of McDonald’s in Mid-Levels, a middle-class neighbourhood on Hong Kong Island on Friday “because of the boys”. Her favourite BTS member? She starts listing them off, before saying with a laugh “All”. The restaurant was full of people eating the set meal for lunch, as it had been on Thursday.
The food is just a perk for Michelle and many others – though she’s a fan of the nuggets. And although she bought food from the fast-food chain only a month ago, the BTS Meal had her returning once more.
The meal, which has been trending on social media since its release in various countries, is packaged in BTS-themed bags, containers and cups that feature the band’s logo and signature purple colour.
In Hong Kong, the price of the BTS Meal varies depending on a customer’s order preferences and how they order it. In store, the base meal costs HK$43.50 (US$5.61), but discounts are available until June 11 if you order via the McDonald’s app.
Exclusive content featuring the band can be found on the app, too. A special “BTS Backstage 360” photo became available on launch day, and a second photo is expected to drop on June 14 – the day after their eighth anniversary. On June 7, there will be a special BTS flipbook and Army (the official name for the band’s fans) can view a special virtual portrait series featuring all seven members on June 21.
McDonald’s Hong Kong has yet to respond to the Post’s inquiry about how many BTS Meals it sold in the city on launch day.
Not all locations across the globe have the same branding – though the Hong Kong stores should have it at all branches advertising the meal – and some fans have taken to selling the packaging. As of June 4, the cheapest bag on eBay that could be delivered to Hong Kong was one from Canada priced – with shipping – at HK$113.78. BTS Meal merchandise is also sold on the fan-artist community app Weverse.
The variation in packaging isn’t the only thing that’s got attention on social media – the sauces have, too.
Ingredients differ by region, oftentimes taking into account local taste, dietary preferences and restrictions. In the United States, for instance, the Cajun sauce features white wine. In other regions, white wine is not on the ingredients list. The Hong Kong sauce does not have white wine listed on the packaging available on its promotional images.
In additional news, BTS also shared a new music video on June 4 for the Cooler Remix of their hit song, Butter .
