McDonald’s launches “Pickle It Forward” – proving that pickle lovers and haters can still be friends

A condiment has never felt more divisive – or more unifying. Pickles have become one of the most passionately debated toppings in recent years, as social feeds fill with outspoken pickle lovers while equally vocal haters remain in the shadows. Responding to this cultural divide, McDonald’s in the Nordics launches “Pickle It Forward”, a new playful initiative that invites both sides into the conversation by letting those who dislike pickles remove theirs and add them to a digital “pickle bank” for pickle lovers to enjoy – ensuring that no pickle goes to waste.

In recent years, pickles have surged from a simple condiment into a full cultural phenomenon. Across TikTok, Instagram and food media, pickle-flavoured snacks, drinks and recipes have taken off. And with that surge, the great divide has become even clearer: some people love pickles for their crunch, tang and briny acidity, while others dislike their sour intensity. Research suggests that this split can form early in life, shaped by flavour exposure and genetics that affect how we perceive certain tastes.

“Pickles have become a cultural moment in their own right. With Pickle It Forward, we wanted to embrace the humour, the passion and even the divide, and turn it into something positive. Whether you love pickles or remove them every time, there’s room for everyone at McDonald’s, and this idea celebrates exactly that,” says Staffan Ekstam, Nordic Marketing Director at McDonald’s.

To bring balance, and a bit of fun, to the debate, McDonald’s is launching Pickle It Forward, a digital activation that turns pickle preference into an act of generosity. Each time pickles are removed from an order in the McDonald’s app or kiosk, those pickles are symbolically transferred to a digital “pickle bank”. Pickle lovers can then draw from the digital bank and add up to four extra pickles to their order, free of charge. Here the hater becomes the hero, with their dislike turning into someone else’s joy and proving that both sides can still be friends.

“This idea is built on the simple truth that no topping sparks more emotion than a pickle. By tapping into the pickle debate that lit up social, and the playful rivalry between pickle lovers and haters, we turned a preference into a shared experience. Pickle It Forward proves that even in the strongest divide, generosity and humour can bring people together,” says Tim Fremmich Andresen, Creative Director at NORD Copenhagen.

The campaign comes to life across social feeds, such as Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, the original home of the pickle debate. McDonald’s channels and influencer duos on Instagram and TikTok, whether loud-and-proud lovers or unapologetic sceptics, help reignite the conversation and invite fans to choose a side. During the activation period, real-time data will inform always- on content, showing how many pickles have been “pickled forward” and which cities show the strongest pickle preferences. McDonald’s will also release exclusive campaign merch, raffled through social media and in restaurants.

Source: NORD Copenhagen

  Advertising, Campaign, Marketing, McDonald’s, NORD Copenhagen, Nord DDB, Nord DDB Copenhagen