McDonald’s Breathes Life Into Its Anime Restaurants With IRL ‘WcDonald’s’ 

Images via McDonald’s / PR Newswire

There’s always something so alluring about anime food—and thankfully, it’s forbidden no more. McDonald’s is taking a playful leap into the wondrous world of Japanese animation by bringing ‘WcDonald’s’, a staple across films and comics, to life in over 30 global markets. Starting February 26, this once-fictional mainstay will manifest in the form of a new sauce, manga-inspired packaging, and a series of episodic shorts that promise to whisk fans away into the vibrant WcDonald’s universe.

Dipping into the pop-culture expansion is a new Savory Chili WcDonald’s Sauce, which blends ginger, garlic, soy, and a kick of chili flakes to deliver an adventure for your taste buds when paired with 10-piece ‘WcNuggets’.

In a nod to the isekai genre, where characters are transported to other worlds, McDonald’s is crossing over to the fantastical and opening its doors to an IRL WcDonald’s on March 9 and 10 in Los Angeles, CA.

Here, guests will find themselves enveloped in the WcDonald’s story through 360 projection mapping and tabletop projections, all while enjoying a menu straight out of their anime dreams.

Images via McDonald’s / PR Newswire

Adding meat to the whole narrative, the Golden Arches has enlisted renowned manga artist Acky Bright to dream up custom WcDonald’s meal packaging featuring sketches of WcDonald’s Crew characters. Enthusiasts can also dive deeper into the lore by scanning a code on the wrappers to access weekly digital manga drops.

Expressing excitement about the engagement, Bright notes, “From the details of the diverse Crew characters to the manga plot itself, I loved being able to use my artwork to bring to life the dynamic, vibrant world of WcDonald’s for people around the world.”

Images via McDonald’s / PR Newswire

The WcDonald’s adventure doesn't stop with sauce and packaging. McDonald's has also teamed up with animation house Studio Pierrot to produce the first official WcDonald’s anime, featuring four shorts that explore the delicious world of WcDonald’s. Starting February 26, fans can catch a new short each week, celebrating different anime subgenres, from action to fantasy.

In a gesture of appreciation for the fan-created realm, the company is awarding grants to three up-and-coming anime artists, along with mentoring sessions with Bright, to support their future projects.

Tariq Hassan, McDonald’s USA’s chief marketing and customer experience officer, highlights the significance of anime in contemporary culture and the chain’s enthusiasm for engaging with its fans in such a creative way.

Images via McDonald’s / PR Newswire

“Anime is a huge part of today’s culture, and we love that our fans have been inviting us into the conversation for years,” Hassan comments. “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.”

[via Parade and Anime News Network, images via McDonald’s / PR Newswire]