With 'World Menu Heist,' McDonald's Returns to the Scene of the Crime

All the perps dress like McD's team members. That just might be a clue

Hamburglar’s lovin’ it, no doubt.

We refer to the return of McDonald’s “World Menu Heist” across the U.K. and Ireland.

In our age of social sharing, McD’s fans in those territories get hankerings for meals available at the chain’s franchises around the world, but not locally. So, last year, McDonald’s brought some of its far-flung fare to the British Isles through a popular heist-themed platform.

Now, via Leo U.K., the initiative returns, complete with this Hollywood blockbuster-style promo:

“McDonald’s fans gave us the targets, we just planned the heist,” note agency creative directors Jason Keet and James Hodson. “That is what fan-fueled creativity means to us at Leo U.K.: Listening to what people genuinely want and turning it into an idea everyone can enjoy.”

The “loot” includes items such as Germany’s Big Rösti, Canada’s Maple & Cheddar Chicken and China’s Szechuan Sauce.

for 2026, McD’s is leaning more heavily into the crime concept, with creator content and a LADbible partnership with an ex-detective analyzing the hero film for “clues.” (Maybe just check IMDB to figure out whodunnit?)

Basically, we get a fusion of old and new. McD’s combines a classic “big idea” approach—the splashy film and lots of creative angles—with an immersive, fan-forward sensibility. But instead of CGC, McDonald’s nods to consumer choice from the get-go and puts in-demand food in its shops.

As for the campaign’s special sauce, to keep the idea fresh, the team promises a “plot twist” and second advert next month.

Related: Let’s Watch Xbox Characters Drop by McDonald’s for Lunch