Dive Brief:

• McDonald's has teamed with singer Mariah Carey to launch The Mariah Menu this holiday season, according to a press release.
• The menu will be available in the U.S. from Dec. 13-24 and provides consumers a different free item each day with a minimum $1 purchase on the McDonald's app. The items will be served in festive packaging designed in collaboration with the "All I Want For Christmas Is You" singer.
• McDonald's is elevating its Famous Orders platform with a tie-up with one of the bestselling female artists of all time as it seeks to elevate its brand, boost app engagement and drive sales.

Dive Insight:

McDonald's is making a major holiday splash with its latest celebrity collaboration, teaming with one of the bestselling musicians of all time — and one who is associated with the season thanks to her perennial favorite "All I Want For Christmas Is You." Plus, instead of repackaging a musician's go-to menu items as it has done previously, McDonald's is giving out 12 days of free food — from Big Macs and McNuggets to McMuffins — with qualifying purchases via its app.

The fast food giant's Famous Orders platform — which has seen it collaborate with musicians Travis Scott, J Balvin, BTS and Saweetie — has helped it to elevate its brand and drive underlying sales growth across the business, CFO Kevin Ozan said on the chain's most recent earnings call. And while the previous celebrities it has teamed with have significant fan bases among Gen Z and millennial consumers, a musical icon like Mariah Carey could boost the platform to even wider audiences, especially during the holiday season.

"Mariah goes with the holidays like ketchup and fries, so we couldn't think of a better partner to help us celebrate the upcoming season," Jennifer Healan, the chain's vice president of U.S. marketing, brand content and engagement, said in a press release. "Just like McDonald's brings people around the table with their favorite orders, Mariah's music connects us all during this time of the year."

The success that McDonald's has seen with its Famous Orders platform has driven imitators across the QSR space. Burger King in September tapped rapper Nelly, singer Anitta and social media influencer Lil Huddy for its Keep It Real Meals, but tied the menu items to the celebrities' given names. The chain's sister brands Popeyes and Tim Hortons have also rolled out musical partnerships, tying up with rapper Megan Thee Stallion and singer Justin Bieber for menu innovations and co-branded merchandise, respectively.

McDonald's beat Wall Street estimates in Q3 2021, reporting 9.6% same-store sales growth from a year earlier, and a 14.6% increase on a two-year basis — growth that outpaces many of its rivals, per CNBC.