Have your mullet and eat it too. McCann New Zealand and McDonald's turn online trend into reality with the Mulleted cheeseburger

From social feeds to real life, the cheeseburger with a mullet makes its debut in New Zealand

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, May 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Canada had the McLobster. Mexico had the McMolletes. Now New Zealand has what fans have dubbed, the McMullet.

After a wave of social posts calling for it, McDonald's New Zealand and McCann brought the hilarious idea to life with a limited run of the mulleted cheeseburger - a cheeseburger with an extra slice of cheese hanging out the back.

The mullet hairdo has a proud history in New Zealand and once the cut of choice for bikers, metalheads and bogans, it has enjoyed a recent return to popularity amongst sports stars, actors and Gen-Zers. It seems now we have a burger inspired by the hairstyle, too.

After initial social posts, the cheekily innovative concept quickly gained traction with creators sharing their own takes and fans clamouring for more of the rogue burger. Macca's and agency McCann NZ responded by turning the burger into a cultural moment, taking it from online and hosting a live activation at its Penrose restaurant in Auckland.

At the recent launch, hundreds of mulleted fans turned up to claim a free 'mulleted' Cheeseburger. Penrose Macca's was completely transformed into a mullet themed restaurant which even included custom McDonald's signage with some extra shag at the back.  For those not yet living the 'business in the front, party out back' lifestyle, on-site barbers helped customers commit on the spot.

McDonald's New Zealand Director of Marketing, Luke Rive, said the campaign was about responding to fans, testing ideas in real time, and getting Gen-Z loving McDonald's.

"When we saw the reactions to videos on social, we thought, why not? It's a bit of fun and it's also a way to bring fresh ideas to life and see how people respond in the real world."

As word spread, fans in other markets demanded a taste. So for those who missed out, the DIY version is simple: order a Cheeseburger with an extra slice of cheese and let it hang out the back.

"It's the perfect match for any mullet, whether it's a perm, a buzz cut or a classic Westie," Who knows where it will pop up next?" adds Rive.

The event also crowned its best mullet, with Wesley Welsford from Auckland's Torbay taking home a year's worth of Macca's Cheeseburgers, along with 12 months of free mullet haircuts.

Welsford said he came along after hearing about the event on social media.

"My mates sent me the link and said we should come down. We didn't care about winning, we just thought it was a fun idea, I'm buzzing to take it out."

The activation drew strong turnout on the day, with hundreds of attendees and widespread engagement across social, reinforcing the appetite for playful, leftfield ideas, and pushing an iconic brand into culture.

Long live the mullet!

Further Cheeseburger with a mullet imagery is here.

SOURCE McCann New Zealand