Forget Chick-fil-A. Here Are 10 Other Appetizing Fast Food Streamers

Last month, Chick-fil-A ruffled some feathers, and it had nothing to do with chicken. Deadline has reported that the fast food chain known for its chicken sandwiches is branching out into streaming. The brand is working with major production companies and studios to produce family-friendly unscripted series for a streaming service set to launch later this year. The company is reportedly also in talks to develop scripted and animated projects and to license and acquire content. Chick-fil-A has previously produced programming for its own site, such as a series of animated short films. And it is far from the only non-entertainment brand to produce original content; Nike and Xbox are recent examples. However, Chick-fil-A’s ambition to set up its own streaming platform is unusual and, according to some media buyers, a risky move in an already fragmented landscape. It also raises the question of whether other brands will explore similar options. What if more fast food brands got in on the streaming game? To imagine this brave new world, we asked creatives to come up with concepts for shows that could run on streaming platforms operated by fast food brands, including McDonald’s, KFC, Taco Bell, and Dunkin’ Donuts. Here are their weird, funny, and tasty ideas. (Note: These ideas are not actually being pitched to brands, and as far as we know, none of the companies listed here are setting up streaming services.) Restaurant: Chipotle Streaming idea: Super Fluffy Me By Leonardo Ricagni, founder and creative director, Migrante Content A parody of the 2004 documentary Super Size Me, Super Fluffy Me features the story of Gabriel Iglesias, who will eat only at Chipotle restaurants for an entire month. The comedian, who often references his weight in his comedy by saying, "I'm not fat, I'm fluffy," could tour the U.S., encountering different Chipotle customers, from a diet-obsessed businesswoman in New York to a Mexican worker in Texas. At the end of the tour, Iglesias won't have gained weight, unlike Morgan Spurlock in Super Size Me after eating McDonald’s for a month. Instead, he'll remain "fluffy,” proving that Chipotle's food isn't harmful (but it doesn't claim to be diet food either). To support the thesis, we can cite the 23-year-old from Los Angeles, Andrew Hawryluk, who ate at Chipotle for 153 days in a row. Living the “Chipotlife,” he ordered a white rice bowl with chicken, guacamole, and lettuce daily. After the experiment, he showed a photo of his physique, proving he hadn't gained weight. Restaurant: Wimpy Streaming idea: WTV By David Kolbusz, CCO, Orchard WTV is the streaming service for Wimpy, the U.K.’s McDonald’s and Burger King before McDonald’s and Burger King were a significant presence on the U.K. fast food circuit—and before the creation of the EU (and its subsequent effects) allowed for the introduction of a broader assortment of cuisines to permeate the British culinary landscape. When Wimpy reigned supreme, there were only 12 meals available to the British public. The sole “vegetarian” option was beans on toast, but the beans were cooked with lardons. In an attempt to return the Wimpy brand name to glory in 2024, this streaming service was launched. And although streaming is a modern concern, the channel itself was designed to be a throwback to the era in which Wimpy was the dinner choice on every little British child’s pale lips. Consequently, everything on the platform is some variation on the kitchen sink dramas of the 60s, chronicling the muted joys and banal disappointments of post-war Britain. Leg gets caught in a combine harvester? Wimpy makes it better! All your horrible teeth fell out? Wimpy has the softest buns on offer. In keeping with the retro-tragic feel of the enterprise, WTV—complete with an inverted M to mirror the MTV logo—is only available on desktop computers that have square keys that make an irritating “clack” noise when you type. Restaurant: Five Guys Streaming idea: The Big Decision By Ben Peckett, group creative director, Amplify If you had to pick things that make a formula for great content, you wouldn’t go far wrong with food, family, and an uncertain future. Five Guys and Girls: The Big Decision ticks every box. In 1986, the founding five sons of Five Guys were given a choice by their parents: start their own business or go to college. The Big Decision is a reality show that sets out to give a group of young adults who’ve worked at Five Guys for several years the same major life decision. Whether it’s a business boot camp led by successful celebrity entrepreneurs or the countdown to college application day, each episode in the series offers up a realistic, gritty look inside the life of young people and the nature of the American dream. Stress, excitement, rewards, uncertainty, and burgers. What’s not to love? Restaurant: Auntie Anne’s Streaming idea: PretzelTV By Jacob Warhop, art director, Party Land Auntie Anne’s is all about twisting up a good pretzel or wrapping it around a wiener. What’s more tantalizing to watch than that pretzel artist making those twists behind the glass? That’s why Auntie Anne is dipping her toe into the streaming service game. With its new platform called PretzelTV, the company will make and televise content that’s all contortionist related. Auntie Anne will show contortionists from the likes of Cirque Du Soleil, The Ringling Brothers, and even Circus Maximus, showing off people doing crazy twists and turns with pretzels to match. Restaurant: Starbucks Streaming idea: Baby-naming reality show By Zoe Kessler, group creative director, Johannes Leonardo Starbucks launches a reality TV show where contestants agree to name their child whatever name a Starbucks employee overhears in a long line of people and writes on the side of a cup. Watch as parents fill out the birth certificates for their newborns with names like "Bome," "Richil," "Specca," and "Taelur." Or another idea: Starbucks, known for launching its pumpkin-spiced-flavored treats earlier every year, has a new streaming service that releases upcoming Christmas movies starting on Labor Day. In an early marketing initiative, the service is giving away 3 free months to those who forgot to take their tree down last year after New Year's and just thought, "If we wait long enough, it'll be Christmas again soon." Restaurant: McDonald’s Streaming idea: McDonald's Film Nuggets By Marc Allenby, co-founder and chief creative officer, Hijinks McDonald's Film Nuggets is a never-ending stream of deliciously snackable content. It features back-to-back little story "nuggets" of romance, drama, intrigue, action, and hilarity, all chicken sandwiched together. Everyone is the director and can submit their video. One minute, it’s a Korean pop music video about fries; the next, it's a serious Swedish food reviewer; then, it’s a balletic interpretation of how the Big Mac tastes; and then it’s a high-speed car chase stopping by the drive-through. The only common thread is the brand colors, red and yellow, which must be prominent. And it must raise a smile, just like McDonald's does. Restaurant: Dunkin’ Donuts Streaming idea: A Dunkin Streaming Service By Amy Downes, creative director, Wonderhood Makers Dunkin’ Donuts’ online profile has become synonymous with the exasperated Ben Affleck meme. Together, they’ve leaned all the way into it. Affleck recreated his iconic spill for the chain. He and Matt Damon’s agency, Artists Equity, were behind the past-it boyband Super Bowl spot, and their team has since recruited the least popular members of both NSYNC and Backstreet Boys to make “the coldest hit of the summer.” While Dunkin’ has tried to diversify its portfolio of partners with its Dunk’Tern series, the inclusion of Benny Blanco means the vibe—on balance—remains distinctly Slump Lord. In a world that relentlessly insists we be the best version of ourselves, it’s refreshing to see a brand embracing the art of letting yourself go. So were Dunkin' to launch a streaming service, I’d envision Eric André-style chaos and Adult Swim-style absurdity mixed with Vice’s Munchies. A content series built around not-so-subtly stoner-coded mukbangs and tangential interviews on giving into your impulses—a satirical celebration of self-indulgence. Restaurant: KFC Streaming idea: KFQVC By Angus George and Johnny Watters, ECDs, Ogilvy UK We'd love to see KFC enter this space. We toyed with ideas like a dating show where participants are married entirely based on finger licking, or a Gogglebox-style show where we watch people watch people make gravy. But we finally settled on a 24/7 KFC shopping channel. Introducing KFQVC, a never-ending feast for the KFC fanatics' eyes. Imagine it: presenters talking about chicken for hours and hours on end. The ergodynamics of buckets. The non-Newtonian properties of gravy. Deep dives into the 11 herbs and spices. Live bidding. Phone-ins. Flash sales. It's the most delicious intersection of commerce, entertainment, and fandom that the world has ever seen. Restaurant: Subway Streaming idea: Subway’s Next Top Spokesperson By Jack Harrison, creative, We Are Pi In Subway’s Next Top Spokesperson, Subway runs a competition to find a new spokesperson, with challenges such as “Let Us Extensively Search Your Computer” and “Does the FBI Have Any Reason to Investigate You? Please Be Honest. We Just Want to Sell Sandwiches.” Restaurant: Taco Bell Streaming idea: Super Delicious Ingredient Force By Gordy Sang, co-founder and co-CCO, Quality Meats I would encourage Taco Bell to revive a dumb, short-form series I helped make over 15 years ago. The "Super Delicious Ingredient Force" is a 70s "Super Friends"-styled cartoon where each ingredient is a superhero, and they come together to fight for value, flavor, and sometimes social equality. A fun concept because every Taco Bell product is basically a mashup of the same ingredients but in slightly different form.

Streaming & OTT

Forget Chick-fil-A. Here Are 10 Other Appetizing Fast Food Streamers

Following the news that Chik-fil-A is setting up a streaming service, ADWEEK asked creatives to pitch concepts for other fast food brands

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