BTS McDonald’s: The Complete Story of a Mouthwatering Partnership – TinyTAN and BT21

I don’t know about you, but I love McDonald’s, and if it’s BTS McDonald’s? Even better. And I go all in: burger + fries + nuggets + a little pie and a light little sundae on the side. If I’m going all out, it might as well be the full spread. But there’s one way to convince me to grab a Happy Meal: when it comes with a tiny BTS figure. And that’s what we’re going to talk about, the adorable TinyTAN and BT21.

Here you’ll get the complete timeline of the BTS McDonald’s partnership, the difference between TinyTAN and BT21, and some tips for buying the items today.

BTS McDonald’s Partnership Timeline: Three Phases

2021: The BTS Meal and Its Global Debut

It all started in April 2021 in the US, home of McDonald’s, which announced BTS as a partner in its Famous Orders program (the celebrity-signature meal lineup). The BTS Meal hit stores on May 26 in the United States and Canada, among the first markets, with South Korea getting it the next day.

The combo was simple: 10 McNuggets, a medium fries, a medium Coke and, for the first time outside Asia, Sweet Chili and Cajun sauces, inspired by McDonald’s South Korea recipes.

The BTS Meal was a regular order from the adult menu, not a Happy Meal, so it didn’t come with a toy, which was sad… But on the bright side, there was a tasty merchandise line: T-shirts, hoodies and oven mitts, sold separately. The launch rolled out across about 50 countries on six continents by June of that year, and it was the first time a celebrity-signature product debuted simultaneously in about 50 markets.

2025: TinyTAN and the Global Return

The BTS McDonald’s partnership hit its peak in September 2025. With BTS back in action after their mandatory military service, McDonald’s announced a worldwide campaign featuring TinyTAN, the chibi versions of the seven members, in 66 countries, including the US.

The campaign came in two waves: the Throwback Edition, with TinyTAN in their most iconic stage looks, and the Encore Edition, with the characters dressed in McDonald’s style, released weeks later. In all, there were 14 toys (two versions of each member), with production limited per character, which explains why they sold out in several cities within the first few days.

The menu featured the full Happy Meal (a choice of nuggets or a hamburger, fries or apple slices, and a drink). Besides the physical toys, a box with a QR code gave access to HappyMeal.com and to the game TinyTAN Power Up, where the characters encouraged players to sing BTS songs.

2026: BT21 Returns to the Happy Meal

In July 2026, McDonald’s brought BT21 back to the Happy Meal. The collection hit US restaurants on July 14. The toys covered all eight BT21 characters, including Van, who represents the global ARMY, as collectible clips. Another chapter in the BTS McDonald’s story.

TinyTAN and BT21 Are Not the Same Thing

It’s common to see the two names used as synonyms, but they come from different projects within the BTS universe. Both have shown up in BTS McDonald’s campaigns, so it helps to know who’s who. Here you’ll find a summary of what each character line is, but if you want to go deep into the stories of these little figures (and have fun and get emotional, I promise), click here to get to know BT21 better and here to learn everything about TinyTAN.

BT21 was born in 2017 from a partnership between the members themselves and LINE Friends, and it has eight characters: one for each member (RJ, Chimmy, Shooky, Koya, Mang, Tata and Cooky) plus Van, the guardian who represents ARMY. Each little creature carries a bit of the personality of the member who created it, but it also works as an independent character, with stories even in an animated series.

TinyTAN, on the other hand, is more recent. It debuted in 2019 straight as an avatar of the members themselves: seven chibi characters, one for each member. While BT21 is a universe of characters with lives of their own, TinyTAN is the literal translation of BTS into cartoon form, and adorable.

How Much Did They Cost (and How Much Do They Cost Today)

In the US in 2025, the TinyTAN toy came with the purchase of a Happy Meal, and the final price varied by restaurant.

Production was limited per character. With high demand, that made the toys sell out in many places within the first weeks of sales.

As for the 2026 BT21 Happy Meal, the price also varied by restaurant.

Where to Find the Toys Today

With the promotions over and restaurant stock gone, anyone looking for BTS McDonald’s toys today almost always ends up with resale: eBay and other resale marketplaces account for most of the listings, with prices that vary a lot depending on the character and the edition (TinyTAN Throwback usually costs more than Encore, since it was the first wave).

Here’s the usual warning for anyone buying from third parties: check the seller’s real photos and profile reviews, and be wary of prices far below the going rate, a recurring sign of items with no provenance or counterfeits. The official channels (restaurants, the app and delivery) no longer list the items.

And yes, all of these BTS McDonald’s figure editions have counterfeits all over online marketplaces, from Shopee to Temu, and obviously the knockoffs are much cheaper. Just be careful, because many are of dubious quality and the sellers use photos of the original toys, which are gorgeous. Then, when your “knockoff” shows up at home, it might not be very well made.

Didn’t get the chance to buy your BTS McDonald’s meal? Don’t worry! The partnership is long-running and successful. Soon enough, there might be more BTS McDonald’s news, you never know.

Got Questions? Here Are the Most Frequently Asked Questions About McDonald’s and BTS

How Much Do the BTS Toys at McDonald’s Cost?

In the 2025 BTS McDonald’s campaign, each toy came with a Happy Meal, and the price varied by restaurant. Today, outside the official sales period, the price depends on the resale market, with a lot of counterfeits, too.

How Do You Buy the BTS Toys at McDonald’s?

During the campaign, you bought them as usual at the counter, at the kiosk, in the McDonald’s app or through delivery. Since the promotions have ended, the option available today for BTS McDonald’s toys is resale on platforms like eBay.

When Does the BTS Promotion at McDonald’s End?

The TinyTAN campaign ran in two waves, starting September 3, 2025, and lasted as long as each restaurant had stock. Collectible toy promotions in the Happy Meal tend to be limited-time, with no fixed end date; they disappear from the menu as soon as production runs out.

Will the BTS McDonald’s Partnership Come Back?

So far, McDonald’s hasn’t confirmed another edition of the BTS McDonald’s partnership. But the pattern of the collabs so far, always tied to a key moment for the group (a global launch in 2021, the return from hiatus in 2025, a launch tied to the North American tour in 2026), suggests a new round is a matter of when, not if, especially if there’s a comeback or a relevant tour ahead. Keep an eye on the next steps of the tour and on a possible comeback from the group.