Japanese streetwear designer VERDY’s signature characters are expanding their social circle with McDonald’s Hamburglar and Speedee. As part of the suitably named “Best Friends Forever” collaboration, VERDY and McDonald's China are dishing up a special meal, with cutesy merch to boot.
VERDY and McDonald's China's collaborative collection includes soccer jerseys, hoodies, tote bags, and even a chain necklace, featuring VERDY’s character, Vick, in cahoots with the classic Mickey D’s faces. To be fair, the necklace and embroidered varsity jacket are likely one-offs made just for VERDY (and maybe his famous friends) but still, pretty wild stuff.
There’s a T-shirt with Vick sitting on a googley-eyed hamburger (very UNDERCOVER) and placemats with the Hamburglar and Speedee, McDonald's original mascot (pre-Ronald, y'know), featured prominently. With the street art-inspired designs from VERDY, the apparel feels bespoke, and yes, I know that I just used "bespoke" and "McDonald’s" in a sentence together.
VERDY also redesigned the McDonald’s packaging with his characters on it, part of the VERDY McDonald's meal that's available at Mickey D’s restaurants in China until January 2, 2024.
The idea behind the VERDY McDonald's meal is unique as far as the fast food chain's partnerships go in that, alongside fried chicken wings and nuggets, McDonald's China is encouraging customers to double up by offering a 50% discount for anyone who places a second order. Thus the "best friends" part of "Best Friends Forever," you see.
Other McDonald's collaborations were cost-effective in their own right. Cardi B had a special menu that included her cheeseburger and BBQ sauce order alongside husband Offset’s Quarter Pounder and HI-C, for instance, available most places for under $14. Cactus Plant Flea Market's much-coveted adult Happy Meal, meanwhile, typically sold for under $11.
Say what you will, but McDonald’s is indeed the culture. In addition to multiple celeb collaborations with special menus, this latest collaboration with VERDY comes on the heels of more fashion-forward partnerships for Mickey Ds. Most recently, the fast food chain worked with Crocs to make some Christmas-list-worthy Grimace-faced clogs, for instance.
Tasty enough but also impressive that McDonald's is managing to stay this far ahead of the curve while also serving niche regional team-ups like this VERDY crossover. Now that's good eating.
