PETALING JAYA, July 29 — McDonald’s global sales growth is lighting up like dynamite thanks to the star power of K-pop band BTS.

CNN Business reported that McDonald’s restaurants open for at least 13 months saw a surge in sales by 40.5 per cent in the second quarter of 2021.

McDonald’s also racked up US$5.9 billion (RM24.9 billion) in revenue during the quarter, surpassing Wall Street’s initial prediction of US$5.6 billion.

The fast-food franchise credits the BTS Meal and its new crispy chicken sandwich for its success during a pandemic that has hit most F&B operators hard.

The limited-edition BTS Meal went on sale in May and came with a 10-piece order of Chicken McNuggets, medium fries, Coke, and sweet chilli and Cajun-flavoured dipping sauces.

Malaysia was the first country in Asia to get a taste of it on May 26 and fans of the Dynamite singers were seen lining up in droves outside McDonald’s outlets on launch day.

A customer posing with his BTS Meal at the McDonald’s outlet in Seksyen 3, Shah Alam on May 26, 2021. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

Die-hard fans even went as far as to preserve the BTS Meal packaging while others upcycled it into unique creations, such as a mixed media art piece and a pair of customised sneakers.

The BTS Meal is part of McDonald’s celebrity signature orders programme that kicked off in the United States last year with rapper Travis Scott and singer J Balvin.

BTS and McDonald’s also dropped a line of exclusive merchandise to mark the collaboration, with purple apparel emblazoned with the fast-food brand’s logo going up for sale.