If you stop at McDonald's for a bite to eat in the coming weeks, the packaging might look vastly different.
Beginning Monday, participating McDonald's locations around the world will be getting a mini-makeover inspired by anime lovers. The manga-inspired takeover, cheekily called "WcDonalds" — with upside-golden arches — alludes to how the chain is seen in some of anime's most iconic movies and shows, according to a release from the Chicago-based burger giant.
“Anime is a huge part of today's culture, and we love that our fans have been inviting us into the conversation for years," McDonald's USA Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer Tariq Hassan, said in the release. "The WcDonald's universe is a reflection of what fans have created. It honors their vision and celebrates their creativity, while authentically bringing it to life in our restaurants for the first time ever."
The temporary transformation will last through March 18.
While some folks might be skeptical, a number of anime enthusiasts are ecstatic, as evidenced on social media.
One user on the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, said, "Idk ab y’all, but I’m so excited for this WcDonalds anime."
Another said the anime packaging was "on point."
For a third user, the transformation appeared to bring them back to childhood.
"McDonald's embracing anime and manga brings a tear to my 90s child eyes," the user commented.
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As part of the transformation, McDonald's teamed up with Japanese magna artist/illustrator Acky Bright, to create and design custom WcDonald's packaging on menu items. For a limited time, customers will receive manga-inspired packaging featuring WcDonald’s Crew characters, sketched by Acky himself, the release said.
McDonald’s has also partnered with animation house Studio Pierrot to produce the first official WcDonald’s anime — four episodic shorts about WcDonald’s Sauce and WcNuggets.
Each Monday, starting Feb. 26 until March 18, the following shorts — which honor Action, Romance, Mecha and Fantasy, four of anime’s biggest subgenres — will drop on WcDonalds.com or via the code on the WcDonald’s bag:
Along with the change in packaging will come a few new menu items.
One is "Savory Chili WcDonald's Sauce," which is meant to be paired with WcNuggets (also known as Chicken McNuggets), the release said.
At one McDonald's location, an "immersive dining experience" will be held, the release said, inspired by the "isekai anime subgenre."
According to officials, the "WcDonald’s Immersive Dining Experience" will be held March 9 and 10 in Los Angeles. The dining experience will be "multi-sensory," and "a genre-bending fusion of entertainment and food," the release added.
