Jonas Brothers Name Chicken McNuggets as ‘Last Meal’ Choice, Highlighting a Longstanding Brand Affinity

Pop music group The Jonas Brothers recently identified McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets as their collective choice for a “last meal,” a statement that underscores a deep, long-running affinity for the brand. This seemingly casual remark highlights a powerful and deliberate marketing strategy by fast-food giants to leverage nostalgia and authentic celebrity endorsement to maintain cultural relevance and drive sales.

The Power of an Offhand Remark

In a video interview segment with Complex released in July 2025, the three brothers, Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas were asked to name their ideal final meal. Without hesitation, they agreed on the classic menu item from McDonald’s. “It’s got to be McDonald’s. Chicken McNuggets,” Nick Jonas stated, with his brothers concurring.

While such questions are common in celebrity media appearances, the group’s choice is notable for its reflection of a genuine, publicly documented history with the fast-food chain. This connection provides McDonald’s with a form of authentic, unpaid media exposure that marketing experts say is often more effective than a formal advertising campaign.

“When a celebrity endorsement feels unprompted and personal, it resonates more strongly with consumers,” said Dr. Priya Sharma, a professor of marketing at the University of Southern California with expertise in brand partnerships. “It taps into the idea of a shared experience. Many people, including global superstars, grew up with McDonald’s as a childhood treat, and that nostalgic connection is marketing gold.”

A Formal History of Collaboration

The Jonas Brothers’ affection for the brand is not merely anecdotal. In 2020, the group formally partnered with McDonald’s as part of the company’s “Famous Orders” campaign. This initiative features celebrities’ favorite meal combinations, which are then promoted for a limited time. The collaboration, which ran in the U.S. market, highlighted each brother’s go-to order:

• Kevin Jonas: Bacon, Egg & Cheese McGriddle and a hash brown.
• Joe Jonas: Bacon, Egg & Cheese McGriddle, a hash brown, and a double cheeseburger.
• Nick Jonas: Bacon, Egg & Cheese McGriddle, a hash brown, and an order of Chicken McNuggets.

This partnership was part of a broader, highly successful strategy for McDonald’s. The concept first gained massive traction with the Travis Scott meal in 2020, which was so popular it caused temporary ingredient shortages at some locations, according to reports from outlets like The New York Times. The company followed with successful collaborations with artists like Saweetie and BTS, demonstrating the power of leveraging an established fan base.

The Marketing Science of Nostalgia

The success of these campaigns, and the resonance of comments like the “last meal” choice, is rooted in the psychology of nostalgia. For the Jonas Brothers, who rose to fame as teenagers in the mid-2000s, their own coming-of-age story aligns with the timeline of their millennial and Gen Z fans.

“The Jonas Brothers and their core audience grew up in the same era, an era where McDonald’s was a cultural cornerstone for youth,” explained Michael C. Parrish, a consumer behavior analyst and author of The Brand Connection. “For them to reference Chicken McNuggets is to reference a shared childhood. It makes the brand feel like a permanent, comforting fixture rather than just a corporation.”

This strategy has proven critical for legacy brands like McDonald’s, which must continuously innovate to appeal to younger generations while retaining their established customer base. By associating their products with culturally relevant figures who have a genuine affection for the food, the brand reinforces its cross-generational appeal.

An Iconic Menu Item

The Chicken McNuggets themselves are a pillar of the McDonald’s brand. First introduced nationwide in 1983, they were developed for the company by Chef René Arend, who also created the McRib. The product quickly became one of the most popular items on the menu globally, prized for its consistency and appeal to both children and adults. The item’s enduring popularity makes it a believable and relatable choice. Unlike a complex dish from a five-star restaurant, the selection of Chicken McNuggets as a “last meal” is grounded in comfort, familiarity, and accessibility core tenets of the McDonald’s brand identity.

This informal endorsement from a group like the Jonas Brothers serves as a powerful reminder of the brand’s cultural penetration. It demonstrates that even without a paid contract, the decades-long relationship McDonald’s has cultivated with its customers can yield significant public relations benefits. As the lines between entertainment, social media, and advertising continue to blur, such authentic moments are becoming an increasingly vital part of a brand’s public image. While the group is currently focused on their music and touring, their simple nod to a favorite food showcases a connection that marketing dollars alone often cannot buy.

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