McDonald’s taps 'fan truths', teams up with Ranveer Singh under global “Famous Orders” campaign
With 65% of revenue coming from in-store dining and takeaway and 35% from delivery platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato, the company maintains a balanced channel strategy.
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McDonald’s India (North and East) has unveiled a celebrity meal in collaboration with Bollywood star Ranveer Singh, as part of its global “Famous Orders” campaign. The launch marks a major brand and marketing initiative in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) giant’s ongoing effort to localize international formats for the Indian consumer. This is McDonald’s second major celebrity-led meal in India, following the earlier success of The Kartik Aryan meal, which drove significant consumer excitement and footfalls across stores.
"The Ranveer Singh Meal is a specially curated offering that includes custom versions of McVeggie and McChicken, fries with a new twist, a first-in-India boba drink beverage, and a burger with a signature secret sauce inspired by the actor’s high-energy persona. Every element in the meal has been renovated and inspired by the energetic and colorful nature of Ranveer Singh,” said Anant Agarwal, Vice-Chairperson, CPRL (McDonald’s India- North & East) in an interview with Storyboard18. Though Agarwal didn't to share the ad spends but he highlighted that The Ranveer Singh meal campaign is McDonald’s biggest marketing initiative of the year, rolling out across digital, TV, print, radio and outdoor media, with a performance-based marketing budget model. “We’re going all in, this is our biggest campaign this year. It’s about tapping into fan truths, the deep emotional bond people have with McDonald’s and with Ranveer. We will scale up investments further if the campaign exceeds expectations in its early weeks,” he added.
Doubling stores, focus on tier-2!
McDonald’s is currently in a rapid expansion phase, with plans to double its 245-store footprint in the next 3–4 years. "A significant part of this growth is being driven by tier-2 cities like Guwahati, Siliguri, Gangtok, Lucknow and Chandigarh; all of which have shown strong response to new launches. Tier-2 cities will be a significant part of our expansion strategy. We will be spending $100 million to double the stores,” Agarwal shared.
Interestingly, drive-through outlets have also emerged as key growth levers, now contributing over 30% to store revenues, especially with the rise in highway tourism and infrastructure upgrades across India.
With 65% of revenue coming from in-store dining and takeaway and 35% from delivery platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato, the company maintains a balanced channel strategy. Influencer marketing plays a critical role in digital engagement, accounting for 15–20% of the digital marketing budget.
Meanwhile, McCafé has emerged as a breakout performer, contributing 8–10% of total sales and set to expand from 125 to 200 cafés by end-2025. “McCafé as a category is growing faster than the rest right now,” he said.
From tapping into K-pop fandoms to celebrity culture and nutritional shifts, McDonald’s India is showing a nimble, data-driven approach to brand building. The focus is to stay relevant, keep innovating, and go deeper into Bharat. Beyond celebrity meals, the brand is investing in global and regional menu innovations. Recent examples include the Korean Meal, which capitalized on the Hallyu effect and was so well received that it was extended beyond its planned run. “Global flavors excite Indian consumers, they love trying new things.”
What's next?
Furthermore, McDonald’s is aligning with post-COVID consumer preferences by introducing healthier options, including whole wheat and millet buns and is building a pipeline around nutrition-focused launches. Simultaneously, the brand is responding to the rising demand for premium experiences. “Millet was a big trend, you will see launches soon that cater to that audience,” he confirmed.
