Travis Scott’s McDonald’s Partnership and the Confusion It Created

Brands have been trying to successfully tap into the social media sphere for years now.  Some are incredibly successful (looking at you Moon Pie twitter page). Others…not so much.  Remember when they killed the old peanut to make room for the new baby peanut? It’s been a weird year for Planters.

As confused as the previous marketing tactic may have left you, the world moved on.  The peanut grew up. Companies came up with new ideas, partnered with new celebrities. One such collaboration is Mcdonald’s x Travis Scott.

This cryptic collaboration kicks off with the phrase “Say Cactus Jack Sent You”. The mysterious ‘Cactus Jack’ is a reference to Scott’s record label. The label is home to several of Scott’s musical collaborations, alongside SheckWes, Luxury Tax, and YK.

The ‘Cactus Jack’ meal is said to be Travis Scott’s go-to: a quarter pound burger with cheese, lettuce, and bacon, medium fries (with barbecue sauce), and sprite with extra ice.  The McDonald’s meal will set you back $6.  Allegedly, all you have to do to receive this order is tell your cashier “Cactus Jack sent me”. Experiences may vary.  McDonald’s is requesting their employees to learn and respond to alternate ordering methods, such as blasting “Sicko Mode” at the drive through, saying “it’s lit, sicko mode”, and “Let’s keep this short and sweet. I think you know why we’re here”. Videos popped up across different social media platforms, showing the not-quite-successful attempts at ordering the Travis Scott meal.

See how the sandwich stacks up in this thorough review:

Although not always as easy as instructions imply, this hasn’t stopped the meal from being high-demand. McDonald’s is now strategically sending patties to select-places where they believe highest demand is, as the meal caused an ingredient shortage.

Several different merch drops are happening on Travis Scott’s website. Early drops included items like keychains, a McNugget body pillow, and apparel. The most recent drop, as of September 17, includes a retro-inspired cardigan, a collection of shorts and t-shirts, and a rug in the likeness of Scott.

The collaboration (and the ensuing deal) are available for a limited time. Come October, quarter pounders and normal ordering will no longer be in shortage.