KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — Excited Malaysian fans gushed on Twitter today talking about popular K-pop band BTS’ special meal set in collaboration with fast food chain McDonald’s, as the country today became the first in Asia to get their hands on the meal.

Twitter users also suggested that high demand from BTS’s fans — popularly known as ARMY — in Malaysia could have led to the crashing of both McDonald’s delivery app and online delivery service on its website.

With just 49 countries in the world to be able to have a chance to buy the McDonald’s meal set known as "BTS Meal”, Malaysia is the only Asian country out of the first 12 countries that will be the first to feature the meal when it debuts today worldwide.

This means Malaysia is ahead of countries such as Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam where the BTS Meal will debut on May 27, and Philippines (June 18) and Indonesia (June 25).

People queuing to buy their BTS Meal at McDonald’s Seksyen 3, Shah Alam May 26, 2021. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

The set contains the boyband’s signature order, namely 10 pieces of Chicken McNuggets, a medium serving of fries, a medium Coca-Cola, and sweet chili and cajun dipping sauces inspired by popular recipes from McDonald’s South Korea.

Its price starts at RM15.70, but may differ depending on the delivery service.

A customer gets ready to order at the McDonald’s outlet in Seksyen 3, Shah Alam May 26, 2021. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

Just before 10am this morning when the BTS Meal became available in Malaysia, McDonald’s Malaysia shared tips on how to safely buy the meal set amid the Covid-19 pandemic, including by using its McDelivery service, even saying there was no need to overcrowd as there would be enough for all customers.

 

 

The special collaboration made it to the top trending topics in Malaysia on Twitter today, through the hashtags #BTSMeal and #BTSxMcDonalds, and related terms such as McDelivery and Army.

Malay Mail’s checks of Twitter showed that #BTSMeal was the number one trending topic in Malaysia at around 10.44am with 26,600 tweets, and still had the top spot at both 11.20am with the number of tweets growing to 31,800 and around 12pm at around 42,600 tweets.

As for #BTSxMcDonalds, it had the second spot in the trending list at 10.44am with 5,720 tweets, and at the same spot at 11.20am (6,695 tweets) and around 12pm (8,115 tweets).

#BTSMeal was the number one trending topic in Malaysia this morning.

The McDelivery phrase trended in Malaysia at the fourth spot at around 10.44am at 7,121 tweets, and at the fifth spot at 11.20am at 7,494 tweets, and at the sixth spot at around noon at 7,880 tweets.

McDonald’s staff seen busy packing the meals at its outlet in Seksyen 3, Shah Alam May 26, 2021. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

A clue as to why McDelivery was trending could be shown as Malaysian BTS fans tried to order for delivery of the BTS Meal, only to face what the McDonald’s customers described as the delivery app and the website’s delivery service having "crashed”.

Those who tried to access the McDelivery service either through the app or McDonald’s website were greeted with the message "Hang in there! Due to high website traffic, you have been placed in a virtual waiting room. You will be redirected to our website shortly.”

As for the lucky ones who managed to have their BTS meal set delivered to them or who managed to buy the meal in person, they took to Twitter to showcase the meals that bore BTS logos on the purple-themed packaging.

Some even expressed their appreciation to McDonald’s staff for thoughtfully putting the French fries separately in the usual paper bag carrying only McDonald’s logo, to ensure that the paper bag carrying BTS’s logo would not be stained with oil from the fries.

Twitter users in Malaysia were also seen saying that they would keep the packaging of this special meal, including the cup for the soft drink.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Twitter users took their own steps to ensure that the packaging for the BTS Meal would remain intact, such as by bringing their own containers to place the food and drinks.

 

 

 

 

While Malaysian are sharing their pictures of BTSxMcDonald’s meal on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, some are disappointed that the meal did not include any merchandise or photocard of the South Korean boy-band.

Facebook user Felicia Yap, who shared a picture of her BTSxMcDonald’s meal, said that she was disappointed the meal did not include any free gifts.

"Sad, no free gift BTS doll and card,” she commented on the McDonald’s post about the BTS Meal.

Another Facebook user Kenny Lee questioned why the boy-band’s photocard was not included with the purchase of the meal, commenting: "Why no photocard uwuwuwuuw”

A long line of cars at the drive-thru section of McDonald’s in Seksyen 3, Shah Alam May 26, 2021. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

Similarly Wany Rozali also expressed her disappointment as she thought the meal comes with a BTS photocard.

Facebook user Aqil Amzar said the meal was not worth it as there is no BTS merchandise or photocard included, writing: "It’s just the name splat. Not worth it Armys. No merchandise or photocard”

In announcing the BTS Meal, McDonald’s did not say that the meal set would include any BTS merchandise or photocard.

Earlier this week, BTS set a new personal record for themselves by sweeping up four trophies at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards in Los Angeles, California: Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist, and Top Social Artist categories.