Summary
Dragon Ball Super ended up inside a hamburger. Burger King launched a campaign that connected directly with anime fans and achieved something few fast food brands manage: the conversation revolved not only around the product, but around the nostalgia and identity of an entire generation. The move did not go unnoticed by McDonald's, which responded by reinforcing its own fandom strategy, drawing on references ranging from BTS to One Piece and K-pop Demon Hunters to expand its presence in Mexico. Two chains that competed for years on price and service speed are now fighting over something different: who can better capture pop culture to speak to young consumers.
Details
While hamburgers dress up as anime, Starbucks played another game: renovation. Its strategy of renewing spaces and strengthening its presence in the country once again positioned it as the chain that best understands that coffee in Mexico is no longer sold just for the product, but for the experience of the place where it is consumed. Vips, meanwhile, bet on the most classic seasonality: chile en nogada became its seasonal flagship, driving family dining during the patriotic weeks and reminding everyone that Mexican cuisine remains a powerful draw for restaurant consumption. In the delivery arena, the battle remains intense and multi-front: Uber Eats held its lead thanks to its partnership with OXXO and its focus on immediate convenience, Rappi strengthened its presence with constant promotions and new campaigns, and DiDi Food surprised with a customer service initiative via WhatsApp powered by artificial intelligence, a move aimed at simplifying ordering without having to open the app. 7-Eleven México, for its part, strengthened its order flow and store search, consolidating its role as a constant convenience point for those looking to satisfy a quick craving. Chipotle kept generating conversation through its expansion in the country, a process that continues to spark curiosity in a market where Mexican-American food is still looking for its place, and CAFFENIO added a new chapter to its growth story by opening its first branches in Querétaro, accompanied by new rules in its MI CAFFENIO loyalty program.
- 1Dragon Ball Super ended up inside a hamburger.
- 2The move did not go unnoticed by McDonald's, which responded by reinforcing its own fandom strategy, drawing on references ranging from BTS to One Piece and K-pop Demon Hunters to expand its presence in Mexico.
- 3Two chains that competed for years on price and service speed are now fighting over something different: who can better capture pop culture to speak to young consumers.
- 4While hamburgers dress up as anime, Starbucks played another game: renovation.
- 5Starbucks and Vips show that experience and seasonality still sell, while Chipotle and CAFFENIO remind us that territorial expansion still has a long way to go in Mexico.
Conclusion
What is clear this week is that the food and restaurant category in Mexico is moving along two parallel axes: pop culture, where Burger King and McDonald's turned fandom into their main tool for emotional connection, and everyday convenience, where Uber Eats, Rappi, DiDi Food and 7-Eleven compete to be the fastest and most accessible option of the day. Starbucks and Vips show that experience and seasonality still sell, while Chipotle and CAFFENIO remind us that territorial expansion still has a long way to go in Mexico. The battle is no longer just about flavor: it is about who manages to enter the cultural conversation of the consumer first.