In June 2023, McDonald’s issued a digital invitation that beckoned diners to celebrate Grimace’s birthday, a nod to the fuzzy purple McDonaldland blob of indeterminate character known for his love of milkshakes. The announcement promised a month of festivities, including video games, celebratory merch and a special Grimace Birthday Meal package starring a limited-edition purple shake. The ensuing hubbub boosted store traffic more than 16 percent and breathed new life into the notion of “kidulting.” The term, originally coined by TV execs in the 1950s, refers to adults who would tune into children’s programming.

Within months of the McDonald’s promotion, media outlets from The Economist to The New York Times were analyzing the phenomenon and speculating on its implications for marketers. But from the restaurant perspective, retro dishes are nothing new; in fact, creative recycling is baked into the menu R&D playbook. Lately, however, the trend has gotten a second wind from COVID-weary consumers and Gen Zers—all of whom just wanna have fun.

Cereal and Smiles

Of all the nostalgia-fueled ingredients at an operator’s disposal, arguably none offers the versatility and stretch of familiar, kid-tested cereal brands. And now, they’re turning up in some unexpected guises.

The smartly named Saturday Morning Cartoons cocktail on offer at The Freehouse in Minneapolis combines vodka with Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cinnamilk, a CPG drink featuring the namesake cereal’s iconic flavor profile. A few years ago, the now-defunct Black Bottle Brewery reportedly bought up all the Count Chocula in Fort Collins, Colo., to brew its Cerealiously Count Chocula milk stout, reaping reams of publicity in the process. On the alcohol-free front, Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken brand promoted an autumn special, the Frosted Flakes Shake, which is topped with a sprinkle of crushed cereal.

It’s not surprising that the emerging crop of daytime cafés is giving cereal a creative second look. At Hash Kitchen, the Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes are crowned with Fruity Pebbles, strawberry mascarpone and fresh strawberries in a warm maple syrup reduction. The drink menu also features Cereal Shooters, like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, featuring an edible cookie shot glass filled with Reese’s Puffs cereal, milk, whiskey and Kahlúa.

Milk and Cookies

The classic combo is receiving a contemporary shot in the arm by upgrading the simple childhood favorite for more mature palates. At newly opened Buttermilk Baby in Houston, the candy-colored interior houses a sundae bar, a carousel horse and adult beverages like Bailey’s Oreo Cookie Boozy Shake, made with the title ingredients, plus vanilla ice cream and vodka. IHOP also pushed the Oreo envelope last August with Lemon Oreo as its Pancake of the Month. Filled and finished with cookie pieces, the dessert-for-breakfast offering was crowned with cheesecake mousse and a dollop of whipped topping. A Lemon Oreo Shake tempted cookie-craving customers as well.

Ice-cream-and-cookie pairings are proliferating, as at Bruster’s Real Ice Cream, which plays the indulgence card with “the ultimate cookie treat.” The brand’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae tops a giant, gourmet cookie with ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream and the requisite cherry. By contrast, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse boasts that “simple things are the best” and proves the point with the Sugar Cookie Pizookie. The signature dessert is simply a fresh-baked cookie crowned with vanilla-bean ice cream and served in a personal pizza pan.

Fun and Games

Credit: Wendy’s

Wendy’s Boo! Bag capitalized on childhood vibes by offering parents and “kidults” a seasonal special that included a burger, small fry, Frosty and toy.

Brands are casting a very wide net in their appeal to nostalgia seekers, and the long holiday season that runs from October through year-end has become prime time for whimsy.

For example, Scooter’s Coffee teamed up with Candy Land, the classic Hasbro board game, in November for a fun promotion that included special game-related coffee flavors like Mr. Mint Mocha and Queen Frostine Sugar Cookie Latte, along with themed cups and merchandise aimed to appeal to kids of all ages.

Taco Bell closed out 2024 with the Decades Menu, which replayed some of the greatest hits from its first 50 years in business, like the popular 1970s-era Green Sauce Burrito and the ’80s Meximelt. Per the brand, the objective was to “unlock core Taco Bell memories for the OG and spark nostalgia for a new era of fans.” Whether old or new, consumers could get an extra dose of nostalgia with promotional hoodies and cups. Meanwhile, fellow fast-food giant Wendy’s replayed a popular Halloween package deal with the return of the Boo! Bag. Essentially a grown-up version of the Frosty Frights kids’ meal, it was specifically marketed to parents and “kidults” and featured Dave’s Single Cheeseburger, a small fry and a Frosty, plus a glow-in-the-dark Bone Chiller Frosty figurine for good measure.

As kids become adults, happy hour tends to supplant “Happy Meals,” but a growing contingency of martini-and-fries combinations suggests a sweet spot in between the two. In Denver, the happy-hour menu at Point Easy features classic fries served with chicken-umami mayo plus a Vesper, served shaken, not stirred. A throwback to the original James Bond films, the martini is meant to complement the salty fries.

Outlook and Opportunity

Nostalgia, the longing for a kinder, gentler past, seems hardwired into our collective psyche, and it will remain a reliable source of inspiration for operators like Mercado Sin Nombre. The restaurant/specialty grocer in Austin, Texas, is luring patrons and generating buzz, thanks to its masa-based menu that includes a nifty housemade Masa Twinkie filled with orange buttercream.

When McDonald’s announced Grimace’s birthday festivities, the press release spoke of maintaining the chain’s brand relevance by meeting its diners at the intersection of nostalgia and culture. It requires a savvy blend of looking backward and thinking ahead, which is already second nature to restaurant menu developers as they work to surprise and delight diners of all ages.