McDonald's could make $100 million in just the first few days of selling 'KPop Demon Hunters' meals

By Charles Passy

 Restaurant analyst says the tie-in with the Netflix film will be a huge hit for the Golden Arches 

 From movie to meal: McDonald's is rolling out themed meals based on Netflix's popular "KPop Demon Hunters" movie 

 This Netflix-McDonald's collaboration should be "Golden" for the Golden Arches. 

 McDonald's has enjoyed its share of success with themed limited-edition meals, from one tied to hip-hop star Travis Scott to a more recent one built around the Dr. Seuss Grinch character. 

 But is the fast-food chain about to see its sales truly go up, up, up with its "KPop Demon Hunters" meals? 

 Veteran restaurant-industry analyst Mark Kalinowski thinks so. He told MarketWatch that sales of the "KPop Demon Hunters" meals could potentially reach $100 million - even in just in its initial days. 

 The "KPop Demon Hunters" menu items, which include a breakfast meal themed around the Saja Boys characters (a demon boy band) from the film and a lunch/dinner one themed around the HUNTR/X demon-hunter heroines Rumi, Mira and Zoey, are set to be available starting March 31 for a limited time. McDonald's (MCD) didn't specify prices for the meals in its announcement this week, but the recent Grinch meal cost more than $15 in some McDonald's locations, according to reports. 

 "This is going to be quite big for them," Kalinowski said of the "KPop Demon Hunters" meals, pointing to the runaway success of the Sony Animated Pictures (SONY) film released on Netflix (NFLX). 

 The streaming platform reported that "KPop Demon Hunters" has garnered a remarkable 500 million views since its June 2025 debut, with a sequel now in the works. Earlier this month, the film took home two Oscars - for best animated feature and best original song. And that song, "Golden," with its catchy "We're goin' up, up, up" chorus, has topped the Billboard charts as well. 

 For McDonald's, the meals themselves may not be the only sales driver, restaurant-industry experts say. "KPop Demon Hunters" has appeal among almost all age groups - in fact, the McDonald's offer is even described as an "adult meal," not a children's Happy Meal. Still, the movie is particularly popular with younger audiences. So there's a good chance that parents may end up taking their kids to McDonald's to get a "Demon Hunters" offering - and then will order something for themselves, be it the themed meal or a regular menu item. 

 In effect, the meal offering is also about building the broader check average, said Izzy Kharasch, president of Hospitality Works, a Chicago-based restaurant consulting firm. 

 "The parents can't help it. They're going to get something," Kharasch said. 

 The McDonald's "KPop Demon Hunters" meals come with specialty condiments and a collectible card pack. 

 It's quite possible the meals, which come with specialty condiments such as a "Spicy Saja Sauce" and a mustard-flavored "Demon Sauce," along with a collectible card pack, may end up selling out. Certainly, that's what happened with previous themed McDonald's meals. 

 McDonald's didn't respond immediately to a MarketWatch request for comment. But the company noted how its Grinch meal, offered at the end of 2025, helped it see its biggest single sales day in history. 

 "The Grinch meal captured fans' attention, a true testament to the power of the McDonald's brand with the right marketing execution," said McDonald's Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden during a February earnings call. 

 Of course, McDonald's undoubtedly has to pay a licensing fee to Netflix. The streamer declined to provide details about the financial deal, but indicated that it's more than just about any other licensing fee. A Netflix spokesperson said the company is continually looking for ways to bring fans' favorite stories to life in different ways. Hence, a movie becomes a meal. 

 Arlene Spiegel, a New York-based restaurant consultant, said McDonald's may have another reason for going the "KPop Demon Hunters" route. Namely, themed meals can be a marketing tool to offset some of the negative publicity the chain has received in recent years regarding its escalating prices. 

 "It's a great distraction from the high cost of meals," Spiegel said. 

 -Charles Passy 

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03-25-26 1846ET

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