Ever wonder what made Travis Scott such a successful hip-hop artist? How did he get
so big that he could attract 12.3 million people to a virtual concert on the multiplayer
video game Fortnite? Could it have been the special-order McDonald's meal he loved while
growing up in Houston? While it may have not been that last part, you can now get familiar
with the meal from Mickey D's that he always orders.
McDonald's is already the biggest player in the fast-food game, but the brand is hoping
some of Scott's success and Gen-Z appeal will rub off on the Golden Arches. And you get
the chance to decide for yourself how inspiring Scott's favorite meal really is. In a special
promotion with Scott, McDonald's is serving up the Cactus Jack for one month, which started
on Tuesday, September 8th. The Cactus Jack, named after Scott's nickname and record label,
is a very specific combo meal.
"Here's my quarter pounder with lettuce, pickles, onions, ketchup, mustard, and bacon...yeah!"
McDonald's U.S. Chief Marketing Officer said in a press release,
"Everyone has a favorite McDonald's meal, no matter who you are. This is the first time
in nearly 30 years we've introduced a superstar's name to our menu we're excited to bring the
Travis Scott Meal to a McDonald's near you starting next week."
If you order a Cactus Jack combo meal, you'll get: a Quarter Pounder with cheese, bacon,
and lettuce; medium fries with barbecue dipping sauce; and a Sprite — all for $6. The press
release continued:
"Travis is a true McDonald's fan, having grown up visiting our restaurants in Houston, not
to mention one of the biggest musical acts and cultural icons in the world."
For Scott's part, he said he was thrilled to be partnering with McDonald's to support
charities through the sale of his meal, but details about who gets the donations haven't
been released yet. Scott said,
"I couldn't be more excited to bring the Cactus Jack [...] McDonald's collaboration to life.
We are bringing together two iconic worlds. Including a charitable component was key for
me, and I can't wait for people to see what we have in store."
This may seem like an odd thing to have a burger named after a celebrity - but it’s
actually something McDonalds has done more than a few times - most famously with the
McJordan Special in 1992, named after Michael Jordan and available exclusively in the greater
Chicagoland area.
But as a musical artist, Scott is turning out to be a more controversial choice for
upholding McDonald's family-friendly image. A survey of franchisees showed that two-thirds
opposed the partnership with Scott because of his explicit lyrics, according to Restaurant
Business. But McDonald's is clearly hoping Scott's youth appeal and his ability to sell
just about anything will pay off. The McDonald's press release went on to say:
"From his impossible-to-get Nike sneaker line, to a cereal collab with General Mills that
sold out in 30 seconds, to a record-setting virtual concert series inside Fortnite, Travis
Scott is the definition of big in culture. He will resonate and spark excitement with
our youthful multicultural customers, and has a few surprises to delight our crew and
ensure they are part of the excitement."
Those "surprises" include uniforms for McDonald's staff designed by Scott himself.
It'll be worth staying tuned to see which charities benefit from the McDonald's-Travis
Scott partnership. McDonald's recently donated $1 million to the National Urban League and
the NAACP, after the death of George Floyd brought calls for racial-justice
reform, according to Delish.
Also, the Travis Scott/McDonald's partnership may not be the last duo dreamed up by the
fast food giant. McDonald's U.S. Chief Marketing Officer noted,
"Travis is the first in a suite of big celebrities that resonate across segments and are true
fans of our food and our brand. We can't wait to share the rest of the lineup... in due time."
However, it's possible they may have been hinting about collaborations with celebrities
way back in February, as their Super Bowl commercial featured favorite orders from celebs
like Keith Urban and Millie Bobby Brown, fictional characters like the Hamburglar, and Super
Bowl participants like Patrick Mahomes which included lots of ketchup.
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