Strawberries and cream are consumed in high quantities at the world's oldest tennis tournament, and this year, there's a special serve—a portable, limited-edition Shake n’ Serve box—that can be picked up in the Wimbledon McDonald’s restaurant. The fast food giant's take on the pairing of strawberries and cream sees a McDonald’s Strawberry Milkshake alongside a generous spot for fries as a nod to the way some snackers like to dip and eat. “Dipping fries into milkshakes is one of those fan behaviors that has been part of McDonald’s culture for years. For Wimbledon, we saw a chance to connect that ritual with another iconic summer ritual: strawberries and cream," said Ben Hooper, Creative Director at Leo UK.
The ritual of dunking fries into a shake naturally divides people, but for those who are devoted to the salty-sweet combination, the contrast of crispy, savory fry meeting cold, creamy shake is something that shouldn't be knocked until it's tried.
What's Driving This Trend
- Ritual-based Packaging
- Limited-edition formats that formalize fan behaviors create collectible food moments while turning informal consumption habits into branded experiential assets.
- Salty-sweet Pairings
- Polarizing flavor combinations offer brands a way to amplify social conversation, menu differentiation, and trial through playful contrast.
- Event-tied Menu Drops
- Cultural and sporting occasions provide fertile ground for localized product releases that connect everyday foods with high-attention seasonal rituals.
Who This Affects Most
- Fast Food
- Quick-service restaurants can convert existing customer habits into distinctive formats that deepen loyalty and encourage shareable dining experiences.
- Food Packaging
- Purpose-built containers are becoming experience platforms, blending portability, portioning, and interaction into a more memorable product encounter.
- Sports Marketing
- Tournament-linked food collaborations reveal new sponsorship value through limited offerings that merge fan culture, venue traffic, and branded storytelling.
