The Pokémon franchise is going strong after 30 years, and so far, there’s been all kinds of celebratory merchandise. This now includes a tasty fast food tie-in, which coincides with a global restaurant having its own birthday bash.
Japan is hosting the “Pokémon Summer at McDonald’s” event, which will coexist with adjacent promotions involving the multimedia Nintendo franchise. A special box will be used for the McNuggets, with this showcasing various Starter Pokémon that fans have chosen since the 1990s.
Adding even more branded flavor into the mix are two new sauces, with Japanese McDonald’s patrons able to sample a taste now.
Pokémon Fans Can Taste Torchic in New Official McDonald’s Crossover
The “Pokémon Summer at McDonald’s” event at Japanese McDonald’s restaurants is headlined by a new 15-piece Chicken McNugget deal. These are packaged in an exclusive box that showcases Pokémon such as Pikachu, Torchic, Charmander and more. The box honors the franchise’s history by looking back at each of the Pocket Monsters that fans began their journeys with, whether they were playing the video games, collecting the trading cards or watching the anime.
Besides the branding itself, there’s also a duo of new sauces available for dipping McNuggets into. The first of these is the Cheese Curry Sauce — a creamy blend of mild spices to kick things up a notch. There’s also the Savory Salt Garlic Sauce, which combines roasted garlic with a salty allure.
The event coincides with McDonald’s Japan’s “Toku ni Naru-do” promotion, which offers McDonald’s at a lower price than usual. The cost for the McNuggets is 490 yen, or around US$3 — roughly $2 cheaper than usual. Fans of Pokémon can eat ’em all now, although the branded event doesn’t yet have an end date, and boxes will only be available while supplies last. The sauces, on the other hand, will be available until Aug. 11, 2026.
The collaboration is just one of the many 30th-anniversary Pokémon-themed products available throughout the world, with these ranging from video games and guidebooks to food items and drinks. Ironically, it also coincides with the 55th anniversary of McDonald’s Japan. Sadly, the sauces themselves and the nuggets aren’t flavored like any of the Pocket Monsters, but this might ultimately be for the best.
- Video Game(s)
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Pokémon GO, Pokemon X and Y, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Pokémon Sword and Shield, Pokémon Diamond & Pearl, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Pokemon Red and Blue, Detective Pikachu, Detective Pikachu Returns, Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!, Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!
- First Film
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Pokemon: The First Movie
- First TV Show
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Pokémon
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Satoshi Tajiri
- Latest Film
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Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle
