McDonald's bets on Minecraft to appeal to connected young people

© Mc Donald's

To make itself more appealing to the younger generations, McDonald's is teaming up with the Minecraft phenomenon. On the menu: merchandise in the colors of the video game, collector's menus... and a foray into the virtual world of the game.

Food lovers will soon be able to order menus inspired by Minecraft the Movie at McDonald's. Two limited offers are available: a “Minecraft Movie Meal” and a “Minecraft Movie Happy Meal”, combining the classic burgers, fries and drink, with a touch of novelty - the Nether Flames sauce, made with crushed red pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic and sugar. A culinary invention meant to recall the burning universe of the game's famous biome.

As is often the case at McDonald's, each menu comes with an exclusive collector's item, featuring characters that fuse the two worlds, such as Grimace Egg or Zombie Hamburglar. A collector's card also unlocks exclusive skins on the Minecraft Marketplace.

But the strategy doesn't stop there. McDonald's is pushing integration even further by launching a Minecraft Bedrock Edition expansion pack via its app. Players will be able to discover McDonald's-branded structures, characters and tools - a kind of virtual fast food, to be consumed without moderation.

The codes for young people 

Behind this operation is a simple idea: to remain present in the lives of young people, even when they are not at the table. And the choice of Minecraft is by no means insignificant given the game's success and its cinematic relevance. According to Sparkers, in the first quarter of 2025, Minecraft was the third most popular game on streaming platforms in Belgium, just behind League of Legends and Grand Theft Auto. A cultural juggernaut, omnipresent on Twitch, YouTube and Kick, where 20% of Belgian gamers on these platforms (400,000 in total) have watched Minecraft videos. That's nearly a million hours of viewing over three months.

The target is clear: young adults (51% aged 17-24, 40% aged 25-34), mostly male (78%), but with a significant female audience (22%). In other words, the generation that is constantly being solicited by brands, always online and eager for digital interactions.By combining gamification and fast food, McDonald's is once again trying to stick to the codes of a youth in search of hybrid experiences. A strategy based on the fusion of marketing, gaming and consumption. Totally in tune with the times for this type of global player.