McDonald's restaurants are getting some new Pokemon food items added to the menu for a limited time. The collaboration between the fast food giant and Pokemon will bring several Pikachu-themed desserts to the menu in special Pikachu packaging next week. However, the promotion is currently limited to Japan.
The new Pokemon menu options likely comes as a result of the popular franchise's 25th anniversary this year. Companies around the world have been releasing themed merchandise to celebrate its quarter century of existence, including things such as tea sets, plushies, and even Pokemon polo shirts.
Beginning on June 11, Japanese customers will be able to choose from a trio of "Fruits-chu" sweets, with each item featuring a distinct fruit. First off, there is a peach-flavored McShake, available in a small and medium for 120 yen (≈$1.09) and 200 yen (≈$1.82) respectively. The next featured item is a Choco-Banana McFlurry, which has McDonald's classic soft serve ice cream with chocolate and banana syrup and crushed peanuts, selling for 290 yen, or about $2.63. Lastly is the Hot Apple Custard Pie. While Pikachu's favorite foods are apples and ketchup, the golden arches opted for a much more palatable combo, offering the pie for 150 yen (≈$1.36) each.
In addition to the triple offering of sweets, McDonald's Japan will also be rolling out a new set of Happy Meal Pokemon toys. Set to roll out on June 11 as well, Happy Meals will come with one of the following six toys: Pikachu Balance Challenge, Pikachu Dash, Pikachu Dunk, Pikachu Get Ball Attack, Pikachu Trick Ring Toss, and Pickachu Janken Attack. While it unfortunately doesn't look like North America will be receiving the same promotion, the West recently had a Pokemon promotion of its own. A few months ago, McDonald's added Pokemon card packs to Happy Meals, which has since led to rampant scalping due to the trading cards immensely spiking in value in recent years.
The Japanese Pokemon and McDonald's collaboration should most likely sell out, given the franchise is as popular as its ever been, and fans everywhere have been trying to scoop up hard-to-get or exclusive items. However, the most sought after merchandise is definitely still the trading cards. After stopping the sale of them entirely for several weeks due to scalping and violence, retail chain Target announced it would resume selling Pokemon cards, albeit with a two-item per person, per day limit. Hopefully McDonald's Japan won't have to resort to similarly drastic measures.
McDonald's new Pikachu-themed desserts look delicious, and will most likely be a hit with customers. The "Fruits-chu" offerings look infinitely more appetizing than the fast food chain's last limited-time offering of a Spam and Oreos burger.
Souce: 4Gamer