McDonald’s Helps Entertain NYE Revellers with Delicious Fry Countdown

Step aside Times Square Ball Drop, it’s time for the McDonald’s Fry Countdown – a fun, quirky way to usher in the new year by using McDonald’s iconic fries as a measure of time. Through this playful event, McDonald’s is helping their fans pass the time during the long haul to midnight.

With the help of DDB Chicago, the 2nd annual Fry Countdown will go live on the massive billboard atop the McDonald’s restaurant in Times Square (the third largest billboard in the vicinity) 10-hours ahead of the ball drop. It will start with a pile of 600+ golden fries to equal the 600+ minutes left in 2023. To simulate a live experience, one fry will be removed with every passing minute, until the last one is taken, welcoming in 2024.

On 12/26, McDonald’s began to run a teaser video on this same billboard. The message, which features no text other than '12/31' will generate intrigue for McDonald’s planned content on NYE.

To further keep cold and uncomfortable revellers engaged on New Year’s Eve, McDonald’s will intersperse other fun 'time-waster' content during their hours-long wait for the ball drop. Over the course of the 10-hour experience, McDonald’s will run a mix of the following assets.

Fry Pull Asset – an example of one of the “fry pulls.” Each pull signifies a minute closer to the new year.

Mascot Race – an example of one of the mascot races “time wasters” that will rotate within the run of show after 8pm.

Trivia - an example of one of the trivia “time wasters” that will rotate within the run of show after 6pm.

Photo Hunt - an example of one of the Photo Hunt “time wasters” that will rotate within the run of show after 8pm.