Popeyes, Burger King and Papa Johns line up blockbuster menu tie-ins for 2026
Three of the biggest names in fast food are betting on pop culture to drive traffic this spring and summer, lining up menu collaborations with One Piece, Star Wars and Toy Story 5.
Popeyes kicked things off with its first anime partnership, a tie-in with Toei Animation's One Piece, the long-running series that has surpassed $600 million in sales and 1,000 episodes since it began airing in 1999. The limited menu, now available across the U.S. and Canada, includes a $13.99 Luffy Bento Bundle with two pieces of chicken, mac & cheese, a Gum-Gum Fruit Lemonade and Chopper's Cupcake. A smaller $7.99 Bento Box is also on offer, along with à la carte versions of the lemonade and cupcake.
"For One Piece fans, the story is about adventure, loyalty, and going all-in for the things you love. This energy perfectly aligns with Popeyes and comes to life throughout this partnership with Toei Animation," Chief Marketing Officer Matt Rubin said in a statement.
The chain is also giving away official One Piece Bento Boxes at six flagship locations in cities including New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, plus selling branded keychains and T-shirts at shop.popeyes.com. The merch push reflects a broader industry shift: data from Lightspeed shows nearly 20% of hospitality businesses now sell branded goods, with top performers pulling in up to 27% of monthly revenue from merch alone.
List of participating locations:
- New York City: 1530 Broadway
- New Jersey: 571 Milltown Rd
- Boston: 304 Squire Rd
- Miami: 1427 Washington Avenue
- Chicago: 621 Ogden Ave
- Los Angeles: 7635 Winnetka Ave
Popeyes needs the boost. After several quarters of soft sales, parent company Restaurant Brands International is steering the chain back to its core menu. "You're probably going to see us shift back a bit of that focus to some of our more core platforms. I think that's what's going to drive the turnaround," CEO Josh Kobza told analysts last fall.
Burger King is running a similar play with Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. The chain sells a BBQ Bounty Whopper in a helmet-shaped carton, Grogu's Blue Cookie Shake, Garlic Chicken Fries and Imperial Cheddar Ranch Tots, along with four collectible cups. A Mandalorian-themed King Jr. Meal launches April 28.
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"Star Wars has shaped generations of fans, and as we head into the release of Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, we saw an opportunity to bring that excitement straight into our restaurants," said Joel Yashinsky, the chain's CMO for the U.S. and Canada. Burger King closed 2025 strong on the back of its SpongeBob Movie menu and has carried that momentum into 2026 with a Whopper upgrade and a viral campaign starring President Tom Curtis.
Recently opened Burger King locations:
Papa Johns is going global with Toy Story 5, which hits theaters June 19 for the franchise's 30th anniversary. Three personal pizzas including the Space Ranger Roni and Sheriff's Round Up will launch June 1 starting at $6.99, paired with a new Rootin' Tootin' Ranch Dip cup. The campaign rolls out in 42 international markets, with collectibles of Woody, Buzz and Jessie in select countries.
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"Toy Story is one of the most globally loved franchises of all time, and pizza has a unique way of bringing people together across cultures," said Chris Lyn-Sue, SVP and general manager of International at Papa Johns. The pizza chain, which saw North American sales drop 1% in 2025 and plans to close around 300 restaurants by 2027, is hoping the $3.3 billion franchise can reverse the slide.
Recently opened Papa Johns locations:
The crossover wave keeps building: Pizza Hut just announced a Space Jam tie-in, Starbucks rolled out drinks for "The Devil Wears Prada 2," and McDonald's is launching a Stranger Things Happy Meal on the heels of its KPop Demon Hunters and Minecraft promotions.
