The merch wars have come to fast food

• Collectable cups, keychains, and tote bags are the latest fad at fast food restaurants.
• Many chains are expanding their retail offerings and seeking viral moments with limited merch drops.
• Analysts told Business Insider the trend plays on consumers' FOMO — and it's not going anywhere.

Limited-edition cups, tote bags, and cartoonish keychains are the latest weapon in the restaurant industry's battle for consumer attention.

As restaurant margins remain tight and consumers become more price-sensitive, chains are expanding their retail offerings and increasingly turning to collectible merchandise as a way to signal increased value without resorting to discounting.

The strategy, experts say, taps into consumers' fear of missing out as well as their sense of identity — especially for younger generations, who see brands as social signals — while driving repeat visits, loyalty sign-ups, and viral buzz. The result is a low-cost, high-impact approach that helps restaurants stay culturally relevant and top of mind even as dining habits shift.

Starbucks' Bearista cups are a recent and widely visible example. Released in limited quantities around the holidays, the cups sparked lines, sellouts, and sky-high resale listings — and, crucially, social-media chatter that had little to do with coffee itself. Ernie Ross, founder of the branding agency Ross Advertising, said the frenzy wasn't accidental.

"That scarcity of supply, that limited idea that this is only for an exclusive group of a few people, increases the value and worth of any item," Ross said. "Some of the stores received less than 10 of the cups, yet they were promoting that you should come to Starbucks for this."

Scarcity sells — especially when prices can't budge

Ross said scarcity reliably shifts consumer behavior, creating urgency and predictable "queueing" instincts that brands can harness in moments of pressure.

"If you tell us that something is scarce in supply, we desire it more," he said. It's just human nature, he added — if you see a group lining up for an item, you're going to want to jump in line, too.

The strategy is accelerating at a fraught moment for restaurants — especially in the middle of the market. Deloitte principal Evert Gruyaert said that restaurants, operating in a value-driven environment, are seeking ways to hold their core consumers' attention.

"The consumer today is increasingly looking for more value for the price," Gruyaert said. "Now in the US, about 40% of consumers are really what we would call value-seekers."

While many chains are also bolstering their value menus and slashing combo meal prices, continued discounting is not a viable long-term plan.

"Heavily discounting your menu is just not sustainable," Gruyaert said, noting that restaurants operate on "very, very thin margins."

Collectible merch, he said, offers a workaround.

"We call these full-margin promotions," Gruyaert said. "You can still charge the full price of your meal, get your full margin on that, but you just get something extra."

Dunkin's recent mini tote bag promotion followed a similar logic. The chain offered branded totes to loyalty members who purchased a drink, encouraging repeat visits while tying the reward to app usage and data collection. Chick-fil-A has also leaned into collectibles with the launch of branded reusable cups, offering customers a chance at free meals for a year if they snag one of their rare gold designs.

"Most of this is all to drive additional traffic," Gruyaert said. "It's also driving more frequency — collect them all, and you have a limited amount of time to do that."

Beyond traffic, Gruyaert said merchandise is increasingly used to strengthen loyalty ecosystems, adding that exclusive items can replace free food as milestone rewards.

How cups and keychains became identity markers

Jack in the Box's "Jibbi" keychains show how chains are also tapping into internet culture. The vinyl figures, which echo the viral Labubu collectible aesthetic popular among Gen Z, were rolled out as limited-edition items designed to spark social sharing. For branding experts, that cultural resonance is the point.

"For Gen Z, brands are actually a form of identity and social expression," Gruyaert said. "A restaurant is not just competing on food itself anymore, but also on brand identity."

National Restaurant Association Chief Economist Chad Moutray said consumer demand is already there. He pointed to a recent NRA survey data showing that nearly half of adults are open to buying restaurant-branded apparel.

"Forty-four percent of adults say they're likely to purchase apparel such as sweatshirts and caps with a restaurant's name and logo," Moutray said. Among younger consumers, the numbers are even higher, with 65% of millennials and 55% of Gen Z adults reporting the same appeal.

For restaurants, Moutray said, merch serves a dual purpose: it's a way for them to extend their brands, while simultaneously operating as free marketing.

The revenue component of expanded retail offerings matters, too.

"The math is difficult for restaurants right now," Moutray said. "Costs have risen pretty significantly, and there's a hesitance to pass those on to the consumer."

That makes non-food revenue streams more attractive, allowing chains to extend their brand while also diversifying their revenue.

While collectibles aren't new — fast-food toys and promotional giveaways have been staples for decades — experts say the current wave is broader, more intentional, and more culturally attuned. Cross-brand collaborations, like Chipotle's line of college dorm decor with Urban Outfitters, have further amplified the effect.

"If you have two brands that are tapping into that same consumer segment, that's where the magic can happen," Gruyaert said. "These things are sold out in no time, and they have the potential to go viral."

Ross framed the moment as part of a longer shift toward emotional, rather than purely functional, branding.

"Something only has a value in the meaning attributed to it," he said.

He argued that collectibles work because they create what he calls "currency of conversation," allowing brands to earn attention before talking about menus or pricing.

And crucially, all three experts agreed the trend is unlikely to fade once economic conditions improve, with Moutray calling it "one of those ongoing trends that's going to continue."

For restaurants navigating a squeezed middle, collectible merch has become more than a novelty. It's a way to sell belonging, buzz, and brand loyalty — one tchotchke at a time.