Celebrity-endorsed calories are reshaping culture, influence, and eating habits. Are we gaining weight as a result? It started with a Sprite, some BBQ sauce, and a Quarter Pounder. In 2020, Travis Scott’s “Cactus Jack Meal” at McDonald’s didn’t just trend, it disrupted. Stores ran out of ingredients, and lines wrapped around the block. Forbes reported that the collaboration earned Scott an estimated $20 million, with most of the revenue coming from merchandise sales alone. Just like that, fast food became more than feeding hunger.
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McDonald’s New Formula
That launch opened the door to something bigger. Over the next few years, celebrities began shaping fast food from the inside out, including custom meals, branded sauces, marketing takeovers, and even franchise ownership.
In 2021, Saweetie followed with her combo, which included a Big Mac, four-piece Chicken McNuggets, medium fries, a Sprite, Tangy BBQ Sauce, and “Saweetie’ N Sour” sauce, a renamed version of the classic Sweet ‘N Sour sauce. The campaign encouraged fans to mix and match the items however they liked, turning the meal into a kind of edible playlist.
Cardi B and Offset’s 2023 Valentine’s Day meal included her go-to cheeseburger with BBQ sauce and a large Coke, while he enjoyed a Quarter Pounder with Cheese and a large Hi-C Orange Lavaburst, accompanied by fries and an apple pie to share.
Then, in 2025, Angel Reese, an NCAA champion and WNBA rookie, became the first female athlete to secure a national meal collaboration with the brand. The Angel Reese Special included a BBQ Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese featuring a new Bold BBQ Sauce, medium fries, and a drink of choice. The campaign leveraged her basketball legacy and rising profile to showcase her emerging talent in women’s sports.
Other Chains Join the Conversation
Megan Thee Stallion’s partnership with Popeyes began in 2021 with the launch of her “Hottie Sauce,” a blend of honey, cider vinegar, and Aleppo pepper, and has since evolved into something far more tangible. After being approved as a franchisee, she’s now building her own Popeyes location in Miami, sharing construction updates on Instagram while previewing a re-release of her sauce. In one post, Megan shared her excitement, saying, “This is abt to be THEE LITTEST Popeyes ever.” The store, set to open later this year, reflects a deeper move into ownership and entrepreneurship.
Similarly, Lil Nas X took on a creative role at Taco Bell, helping relaunch breakfast and tie it to his album rollout. Ice Spice’s 2023 Dunkin’ drink, a frozen coffee with pumpkin Munchkins and caramel drizzle, dropped during the VMAs in a campaign directed by Ben Affleck. These were cross-platform moments designed to meet fans where they already were.
From Endorsement to Ownership
Some celebrities have moved beyond the promotional cycle and into long-term investments. Rick Ross owns over a dozen Wingstop locations and has a stake in Checkers. LeBron James owns 19 franchise locations for Blaze Pizza. Then there’s Shaquille O’Neal, whose food empire includes nine Papa John’s, 17 Auntie Anne’s, one Krispy Kreme flagship in Atlanta, and his fast-growing chain, Big Chicken. These business strategies truly reflect a shift in how celebrity influence is leveraged.
The Calorie Burden Behind the Hype
According to the CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, about 32% of U.S. adults consumed fast food on a given day between 2021 and 2023, with fast food accounting for 11.7% of daily calories. Among younger adults aged 20 to 39, the figure rises to 15.2%.
Celebrity meals are engineered for buzz, not balance. The Angel Reese Special clocks in at over 1,250 calories, which is more than half the recommended daily sodium intake for many adults. Saweetie’s meal and Cardi B and Offset’s combo offer similar nutrition profiles. It’s fun, and it may even be shareable, but making fast food a routine has profound implications for health outcomes.
Linking the Plate to Public Health
Between 2021 and 2023, 35.8% of Black children and adolescents had obesity. According to CDC data published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, this is the highest rate among all racial groups. Experts attribute food insecurity, targeted advertising, and reduced access to safe physical activity as the primary contributors.
But the Office of Minority Health report says Black or African American students in 9-12 grade were at the most significant risk. “Non-Hispanic Black or African American female students were almost 2 times more likely to be obese than non-Hispanic white female students.”
Colorectal Cancer is Also Rising in Younger People
Meanwhile, colorectal cancer is on the rise among younger adults, and the outlook is particularly harsh for Black Americans. The American Cancer Society’s 2025 report shows that Black men are 20% more likely to be diagnosed and 40% more likely to die from colorectal cancer than white men.
For Black women, incidence is 14% higher, and mortality is 25% higher. Processed, low-fiber diets, typical of many fast-food options, are associated with an elevated risk, alongside structural barriers to screening and treatment.
This isn’t about feeling guilty for indulging in the latest trendy meal. However, it’s worth taking a moment to consider the more profound implications of seeing so many of our favorite celebrities promoting foods that don’t support our health. Our community already faces health disparities; it doesn’t exactly help to see a beloved musician holding up a burger stacked with sodium, sugar, and branding. When entertainment and marketing merge seamlessly, it’s easy to forget what’s truly at stake.
Dinner with a Side of Influence
Celebrity meals aren’t changing the food industry outright, but they’ve shaped how we engage with it. They blur the line between marketing and entertainment, and between habit and hype.
No one is forcing the order, but these meals reflect how easily pop culture can infiltrate our routines. We’ll leave it to you to decide who holds the influence: the celebrity, the brand, or the part of you that values your health over the hype.
Resources
How Hip-Hop Superstar Travis Scott Has Become Corporate America’s Brand Whisperer
NCHS Data Brief, Number 533, June 2025
Cancer statistics for African American and Black people, 2025
