I ventured to sample the newly launched Stormzy Meal at a McDonald’s, which has been unveiled two days early in his home town of Croydon. Unfamiliar with the McDonald’s Famous Order campaign, I anticipated a novel burger or nugget, possibly accompanied by a limited edition sauce.
I was somewhat let down to discover that this would merely be a standard order of McNuggets, fries and a McFlurry or apple pie with a Sprite, although the £7.99 price tag isn’t too shabby. Upon my arrival in Croydon, having strolled past a crime scene en route to McDonald’s, the first thing that struck me was that the establishment had been rebranded as Big Mike’s – a nod to Stormzy’s nickname.
Inside, I noticed there were no self-service machines. In 2025, I would actually have to converse with a human to get my food. Astonishing.
After a slightly longer wait in the queue than usual, I finally received my meal – nine chicken nuggets housed in a special Stormzy Meal red and black box, medium fries, an apple pie, a Sprite and two barbecue sauces.
For me, McDonald’s has always been about the burgers. The Big Mac reigns supreme in the realm of fast food burgers, Burger King can step aside (which boasts one of the worst and most overpriced).
That said, I am a fan of Stormzy, albeit not a die-hard one. I’m partial to drum and bass, so his new track, Backbone, with Chase and Status is right up my alley.
However, to be frank, this McDonald’s order is missing a backbone, Stormzy, mate. I would have respected it more had you gone for the only acceptable chicken order at McDonalds, which is of course, five chicken selects. Top batter, actual meaty chicken meat rather than the reconstituted McNuggets I used to go for when I was six. Also, the McFlurry is good, but launching this in February feels weird.
I’m already freezing my socks off in my house, I don’t want to sit in a McDonald’s in Croydon freezing my brain. I was glad I went for the apple pie instead.
I did enjoy the meal, really. It’s hard not to like McNuggets doused in barbecue sauce and McDonald’s fries, but I still missed the burger.
So much so that I actually went and bought a Big Mac to top it all off. Sorry, mum. The Sprite choice of drink is not really my thing, but I wasn’t mad at it – it was quite refreshing and did wash that tasty burger down.
All in all, it was quite an average McDonald’s experience, though I did like the new box it came in, plus it came with some exclusive stickers – though they won’t be stuck anywhere as they’re pretty ugly. One thing that was actually noticeable was the community vibe in the place which was helped along by having to order in person. The woman I ordered from was very helpful and warm.
Another woman, who was her colleague, demonstrated exceptional customer service. She assisted a man on a mobility scooter with his order and even helped him get settled at his table.
She also interacted with two elderly women, discussing their order and offering to help them replicate it next time. Interestingly, she declined their tip and waved them off.
It was refreshing to see such personal service after years of ordering from screens.
In other news, the Famous Order campaign launched its first-ever British edition this week at nine McDonald’s branches in Croydon, in honour of Stormzy’s hometown. I visited the branch at 86/90 North End, temporarily rebranded as “Big Mike’s”.
The meal is available nationwide. The Famous Orders campaign, which originated in the United States in 2020, has featured collaborations with Travis Scott, J Balvin, Saweetie, and YouTuber Kai Cenat. The campaign is based on the premise that “No matter how big or famous you are, everyone has a McDonald’s order.”