Nostalgia is an appealing marketing tactic for any demographic. Regardless of age, consumers love to reminisce and return to the simpler times of their childhood. Millennials are now finding themselves at middle age just as the trend cycles have returned to the fashion, music, and cultural references of their youth. Younger generations are actively recycling baggy jeans and 90s pop, bucket hats and band tees that they don’t even realize were their dad’s favorite music in high school.
For restaurants, nostalgia and bundling is effective. Memories are deeply tied to the senses of taste and smell, to formative moments lived over food. And McDonald’s, appealing to older and newer generations alike, has found a way to regenerate crazes from the “olden days” with a heavy dose of schmaltz in bundled offerings.
“We’re bringing back some of our most-loved keepsakes with a twist, giving fans a memory that they can hold in their hands,” McDonald’s global chief marketing officer and head of new business ventures Morgan Flatley said. “McDonald’s is introducing a limited-time Collector’s Meal, which includes one of six collectible cups inspired by past designs. The meal is available starting Aug. 13 and comes with the option of either a sausage McMuffin with egg sandwich, hash brown and hot coffee during breakfast hours, or the choice of a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets or Big Mac with fries and a soft drink throughout the rest of the day,” reports Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN).
According the recent NRN article, The six-cup lineup includes:
- Barbie and Hot Wheels, putting a new spin on these two Mattel toys
- Beanie Babies, paying homage to this fad from the 1990s, with characters including Golden Arches Bear from 2024
- Coca-Cola, celebrating the longtime partnership between the two iconic brands
- Hello Kitty & Peanuts
- Shrek, Jurassic Park & Minions
- McDonald’s, including The Grimace glass, Boo Buckets, Cowpoke McNugget Buddy, and Funny Fry Friends
This campaign is an intentional grab at nostalgia marketing—which McDonald’s knows is well-received and effective, but which research shows is a particularly strong strategy for this cultural moment. NRN says, “Nostalgic marketing campaigns have become a popular strategy for brands throughout the past several years, driven by younger consumers. According to research from GWI, Gen Z consumers are the most nostalgic, with 15% noting they would prefer to think about the past than the future. Fourteen percent of millennials feel the same.”
Nostalgia marketing can be as simple as a revamped menu item or a decor scheme in your restaurant design. Our restaurant consultants can help you find ways to incorporate nostalgic appeal into your menu and restaurant concept. Richard Weil, owner and principal of National Restaurant Consultants adds, “Bundling offers in conjunction with the nostalgic references provides additional sales opportunities for operators. During some of today’s challenging market climates that many operators are experiencing, look at your restaurant, not only through the eyes of your customers, but present meaningful bundling offers that will have customers come back to your restaurant more frequently.”