The BTS Meal is a special promotional menu item available for a limited time at McDonald’s restaurants worldwide. BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a popular South Korean K-pop boy band. The BTS Meal was launched in May 2021 as part of a partnership between McDonald’s and BTS. It quickly became a global phenomenon and was available in nearly 50 countries. So how much does this wildly popular BTS-themed meal cost? Let’s take a closer look.
What’s Included in the BTS Meal?
The BTS Meal includes 10 pieces of Chicken McNuggets, a medium World Famous Fries, a medium Coke, and for the first time in the US, Sweet Chili and Cajun dipping sauces inspired by popular McDonald’s recipes in South Korea.
The meal is served in special packaging featuring the BTS logo and band members. This includes a purple BTS-themed paper bag, cups, and box for the Chicken McNuggets. So essentially it’s a customized version of a classic McDonald’s meal made up of existing McDonald’s menu items.
BTS Meal Prices in the USA
In the United States, the basic price for a BTS Meal is:
- $9.99 for the medium-sized meal
- $11.99 for the large-sized meal
However, prices can vary a bit between different McDonald’s locations. Tax may also need to be added to the listed prices in some areas. Additionally, costs will be higher if any customizations or substitutions are made to the standard BTS Meal.
Medium BTS Meal Price Breakdown
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| 10 piece Chicken McNuggets | $5.99 |
| Medium World Famous Fries | $2.99 |
| Medium Coca-Cola | $1.00 |
| Total | $9.99 |
As shown in the table above, the individual items in a standard medium BTS Meal would total $9.99 separately. However, McDonald’s offers the entire meal together at $9.99 as a special promotional bundle price.
Large BTS Meal Price Breakdown
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| 10 piece Chicken McNuggets | $5.99 |
| Large World Famous Fries | $3.49 |
| Large Coca-Cola | $1.50 |
| Total | $11.99 |
The prices for the large-sized BTS Meal items bought separately would add up to $11.99. But again, McDonald’s offers the full meal deal for $11.99.
BTS Meal Prices Worldwide
While the BTS Meal price is generally $9.99 for a medium and $11.99 for a large in the United States, prices vary a bit in different countries around the world. Here are some examples of BTS Meal prices globally:
- Australia: AU$12.95 for medium, AU$14.95 for large
- Brazil: R$44.90 for medium, R$52.90 for large
- Canada: CA$11.99 for medium, CA$13.99 for large
- France: €9.90 for medium, €11.90 for large
- Germany: €11.99 for medium, €13.99 for large
- Malaysia: RM19.95 for medium, RM23.95 for large
- Singapore: S$9.90 for medium, S$11.90 for large
- South Korea: ₩9,900 for medium, ₩11,400 for large
- UK: £8.99 for medium, £10.49 for large
Currency exchange rates, local costs of doing business, taxes, and other factors impact the pricing from country to country. But the BTS Meal remains a promotional deal with bundled pricing in markets worldwide.
Why the BTS Meal Is Priced the Way It Is
There are a few key reasons why McDonald’s priced the BTS Meal the way they did:
Promotional Deal Strategy
The bundled meal price is a promotional deal to excite customers about the new offering and bring them into restaurants. While McDonald’s surely has to pay some fees to BTS for promotional rights, packaging, etc., they ultimately still benefit from increased customer visits and sales.
Appealing Price Point for Target Audience
The $9.99 or $11.99 price tag hits a sweet spot that is appealing and accessible to most BTS fans, many of which are younger consumers. It lets them enjoy the official meal without having to pay too much for the novelty.
Consistency With Other Celeb Meals
McDonald’s has offered a number of celebrity-themed meals recently at similar price points. Meals with Travis Scott, J Balvin, and Saweetie were also in the $6-$8 range. McDonald’s aims to keep promotional deal pricing consistent rather than drastically changing costs for each collab.
Covers McDonald’s Increased Costs
While the BTS Meal may drive more customers and sales, McDonald’s also takes on added costs of special packaging, cross-promotional efforts, inventory, and more. The pricing helps cover those expenses while still driving traffic.
Factors That Could Impact Pricing in the Future
McDonald’s set price points for the BTS Meal that strategically meet promotion, demand, and profit goals. However, there are some factors that could lead to pricing changes in the future:
- Inflation – Rising costs of ingredients, labor, transportation, etc. could force McDonald’s to raise prices across menus.
- Changes in Customer Demand – Low turnout or need to drive more traffic could lead to discounted pricing.
- Hits or Misses of Promotions – Strong success and profits or disappointment could impact future collab meal deals.
- Changes to the Menu Offering – More or fewer items in the BTS Meal bundle could alter the ideal pricing level.
- Geographic Expansion – Launching the BTS Meal in new markets may necessitate pricing tweaks to account for local factors.
McDonald’s will use ongoing performance metrics, market research, financial analysis, and other inputs to adjust promotional meal pricing as needed over time.
Ways to Save on the BTS Meal
While the BTS Meal offers a bundled deal, there are some ways savvy customers can save a bit more on the special meal. Strategies include:
- Ordering a medium meal instead of a large if you don’t need super-sized portions.
- Getting it as takeout instead of dine-in to avoid any restaurant sit-down fees.
- Using McDonald’s app coupons for a free drink, fries, etc. to lower part of the meal cost.
- Opting for water instead of soda as the beverage.
- Splitting the meal with a friend to get two meals out of one order.
- Asking for no sauce or only one sauce to avoid extra charges.
- Price comparing between local McDonald’s as some may run unique deals.
Being cost-conscious about customizations, coupons, and purchasing choices can help optimize the savings on a BTS Meal order.
Is the BTS Meal Worth the Price?
Whether or not the BTS Meal is “worth it” depends a lot on the customer and their preferences. Given it is a fairly typical McDonald’s combo meal with Chicken McNuggets, fries and a drink, strictly based on food volume and nutrition, customers may be better off ordering à la carte. However, the BTS Meal isn’t aimed at utility-focused customers.
For fans of BTS, the band member packaging, special sauces, and overall experience make the BTS Meal worthwhile at its promotional pricing. It provides both physical and emotional value by letting fans feel connected to their favorite artists. The global hype and sell-out demand further prove that customers deem the BTS Meal worth its price.
Non-fans are better off ordering individual menu items à la carte rather than paying for the full BTS Meal experience. But for ARMYs (the nickname for BTS fans), the unique food and paraphernalia is likely well worth the price both economically and intangibly.
Should You Buy the BTS Meal?
Here are some final tips on deciding if buying the BTS Meal is a smart choice for you:
- If you love BTS and want the collectible packaging, it’s likely worth it!
- If you’re hungry for McNuggets anyway, may as well get the on-theme meal.
- Don’t buy it just for the food alone – go à la carte instead to maximize value.
- Consider sharing the meal with a fellow ARMY to save money and bond!
- Weigh splurging on the BTS Meal vs. other merch you could buy.
- Buy sooner rather than later before the limited-time promo ends.
The BTS Meal brings great value to fans of the band who want a keepsake experience. Non-fans are better off sticking to McDonald’s regular menu. But if you’re an ARMY, grab this special meal while you can!
Conclusion
The BTS Meal offers a special McDonald’s combo meal themed around the globally renowned Korean pop group. Priced at around $9.99 USD for a medium and $11.99 USD for a large, it includes 10 piece Chicken McNuggets, fries, a drink, and unique BTS-inspired dipping sauces and packaging. While prices vary slightly in different countries, the meal remains a bundled promotional deal aimed at fans. Its pricing hits a sweet spot that covers McDonald’s costs while appealing to BTS fans. Non-fans may be better off ordering à la carte, but for ARMYs, the BTS Meal provides great tangible and emotional value.
