For years, McDonald’s fans in the U.S. have looked overseas for some of the fast-food giant’s most unusual menu items, collaborations, and collectibles.
But lately, the company has been bringing more of that international appeal to its home market, using limited-time promotions and recognizable entertainment brands to create excitement around its brand.
That strategy is about to get another major test.
McDonald’s is teaming up with two globally recognized franchises for a new Happy Meal collaboration that puts a familiar character in an unexpected setting, and it is coming to U.S. restaurants later this month.
McDonald’s teases a new Happy Meal collaboration
McDonald’s (MCD) is partnering with Sanrio, the creator of Hello Kitty, and Toho Co., the owner of Godzilla, to launch a limited-time Happy Meal combining both franchises for the first time ever.
The fast-food giant teased the collaboration on social media with a video revealing the kaiju-inspired Happy Meal. The promotion will be available at all U.S. McDonald’s restaurants beginning Aug. 18.
The eight Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meal toys include:
- Hello Kitty x Godzilla
- Kuromi x Kiryu
- Badzt Maru x Rodah
- My Melody x Mothra
- Keroppi x King Ghidorah
- Chocolate x Space Godzilla
- Cinnamoroll x Destoroyah
- Pompompurin x Gigan
The announcement quickly generated interest on social media, with customers reacting to the unusual pairing and some international fans asking whether the promotion would eventually become available in other markets.
The collaboration also builds on McDonald’s long-running strategy of using Happy Meal toys and entertainment partnerships to attract families, collectors, and fans.
Since introducing the Happy Meal in 1977, McDonald’s has turned the children’s meal into an important marketing platform, regularly using collectible toys and recognizable characters to generate excitement around limited-time promotions.
Why McDonald’s is only releasing the Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meal in the U.S.
McDonald’s tailors its menu in each country based on local preferences, ingredient availability, and the operational requirements of introducing products at scale.
That means a promotion developed for one market does not automatically become a global release.
While menus vary around the world, McDonald’s maintains a group of core products across many regions, including the World Famous Fries, Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Big Mac, McNuggets, and Vanilla Cone.
The company’s localization approach gives individual markets flexibility to develop offerings suited to their customers and operating environment, while limited-time collaborations can be rolled out selectively.
Historically, McDonald’s has taken a selective approach to bringing international concepts to the U.S., sometimes testing products or promotions based on regional preferences and previous performance. In some cases, successful offerings have expanded into additional markets.
That makes the latest collaboration notable. Although both Hello Kitty and Godzilla originated in Japan, McDonald’s is choosing to launch this particular crossover nationwide in the U.S.
McDonald’s brings global partnerships to the U.S.
The Hello Kitty and Godzilla collaboration is not the first time McDonald’s has brought major international entertainment brands to its U.S. restaurants, particularly through limited-edition Happy Meals.
Here’s some of my previous coverage of McDonald’s collaborations:
- BT21: Joined forces with the K-pop group BTS in July 2026 to release eight character toys.
- KPop Demon Hunters: Collaborated with Netflix (NFLX) in March 2026 to launch a promotion that included two adult Happy Meal options, themed menu items, collectible merchandise, and digital experiences.
- TinyTAN: Partnered with Big Hit Music in September 2025 to release animated versions of toys based on BTS members.
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Hello Kitty and Friends: Collaborated with the franchises in August 2025 to launch a crossover featuring themed packaging and collectible toys.
The latest promotion extends a broader push by McDonald’s to turn entertainment partnerships into cultural moments that can generate attention beyond its traditional restaurant advertising.
That strategy could be particularly important in the U.S., where McDonald’s has been looking for ways to strengthen customer engagement as domestic sales growth slows.
McDonald’s strategy to boost growth
McDonald’s latest earnings provide some context for the company’s continued investment in menu innovation, marketing, and collaborations in its largest market.
During its second quarter of fiscal 2026, the company reported:
- Systemwide sales increased 5% year over year.
- Global comparable sales were up 1.3%.
- U.S. comparable sales rose 0.8%.
- Comparable sales at international operated markets climbed 1.5%.
- Comparable sales at international developmental licensed markets increased 1.9%.
McDonald’s said U.S. comparable sales were driven by positive check growth, including favorable product mix, but were partially offset by declining comparable guest counts. International developmental licensed markets, meanwhile, were led by Japan.
The results highlight the gap between McDonald’s U.S. business and some international markets.
“While our playbook is working around the world, we see an opportunity to raise the bar in the U.S. and accelerate performance in our largest market,” said McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski in the company’s earnings release.
During the company’s latest earnings call, Kempczinski also emphasized the importance of marketing and creating cultural moments that drive consumer engagement and restaurant traffic.
That makes limited-time collaborations one part of McDonald’s broader U.S. strategy. The company is not simply adding another set of toys to the Happy Meal. It is using recognizable brands and limited availability to give customers another reason to pay attention to the chain.
For McDonald’s, the challenge will be turning that attention into sustained restaurant traffic in a U.S. market where guest counts remain under pressure.
“The McDonald’s brand remains one of one in our industry and among the most powerful brands in the world,” said Kempczinski during the earnings call.
