Film and television collaborations with fast food chains aren’t anything new, and had quite the heyday in the ’90s. With so many companies tapping into the power of nostalgia, it’s no wonder this year in particular seems to be quite a bit of a resurgence of these fast food tie promotional campaigns such as the Supergirl KFC Meal or the Spider-Man Webbaroni from Little Caesar’s. With the highly-anticipated second season of X-Men ’97 premiering this Wednesday, Dave’s Hot Chicken has announced a limited-time collaboration with an exclusive meal experience built around some of Marvel’s most iconic mutants.
The X-Men are no strangers to fast food tie-ins. Anyone who grew up in the ’90s likely remembers that when the original X-Men: The Animated debuted, Marvel teamed up with Pizza Hut to offer exclusive VHS tapes, mini-comics, collector’s cups, and themed pizza boxes. I’m guessing some sort of collaboration with Pizza Hut wasn’t in the cards or feasible, but this Dave’s Hot Chicken X-Men ’97 collaboration will surely scratch that nostalgia itch for many die-hard fans.
Full details below:
Dave’s Hot Chicken, the cult-favorite brand known for serving the most craveable hot chicken on the planet, is teaming up with Marvel Animation’s X-Men ’97 for a limited-time collaboration that brings together hot chicken, fandom, nostalgia and collectible culture.
Available beginning July 1 through sell-out, the Dave’s Hot Chicken x X-Men ’97 Meal gives fans a new way to celebrate the premiere of X-Men ‘97 Season 2
For $13.99, guests can order a Dave’s #4 Meal featuring either a Slider & Fries or Bites & Fries, plus one blind-bag collectible figurine featuring one of four fan-favorite X-Men characters:
· Wolverine
· Cyclops
· Storm
· Jean Grey
Fans can also unlock limited-edition pins and exclusive comic content through the Dave’s Hot Chicken app while supplies last.
Dave’s was drawn to X-Men ’97 because of the passion surrounding the franchise and its deep connection to fans who grew up loving the original animated series. The collaboration reflects Dave’s approach to culture: leaning into the things its team and guests genuinely love, rather than simply chasing the biggest trend.
“Dave’s has always been built by people who are genuinely passionate about the things they love, whether that’s food, music, sports, or pop culture,” said Arman Oganesyan, Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Dave’s Hot Chicken. “X-Men was a huge part of my childhood, especially Wolverine, and what makes X-Men ’97 so special is that it stayed true to what fans loved about the original. That’s something we relate to at Dave’s; celebrating something our team genuinely loves and creating an experience fans will be excited to be part of.”
The limited-time collaboration launches alongside the July 1 premiere of X-Men ’97 Season 2 on Disney+, giving longtime fans and new viewers a way to bring the excitement off-screen and into restaurants. From the blind-bag collectible format to app-exclusive rewards, the program is designed for fans who want to collect, share and celebrate the characters they love.
“X-Men has always been about passionate fans, iconic characters, and bringing people together through great storytelling,” said Jim Bitticks, CEO of Dave’s Hot Chicken. “This collaboration lets us celebrate the return of X-Men ’97 in a way that’s uniquely Dave’s, through great food, collectibles, and an experience fans will want to share.”
The Dave’s Hot Chicken x X-Men ’97 Meal will be available at participating Dave’s Hot Chicken locations beginning July 1 through sell-out.
