KFC X Stranger Things - Hawkins Hotline

Client: KFC

To launch KFC’s collaboration with Netflix for a Stranger Things limited-time menu, the Hawkins Hotline turned a food release into a playful, real-world adventure. Across three UK cities, fans didn’t just order the menu — they unlocked it. Weathered 1980s phone booths, live operators, hidden codes, and interactive challenges drew fans into the Stranger Things universe, culminating in access to exclusive items including the instantly recognisable red-bun Stranger Things Burger and Stranger Wings.

By placing the food at the centre of the story, Hawkins Hotline reframed KFC’s menu as something to be earned and celebrated. Chicken wasn’t just given; it was hunted, unlocked, and shared - proving that weaving food into culturally relevant storytelling multiples its memorability, desirability, and sharability. The activation mirrored the curiosity, camaraderie, and discovery at the heart of Stranger Things, while infusing KFC’s tongue-in-cheekhumour, bold personality, and iconic menu throughout every interaction. Social amplification multiplied the impact: fans shared meals, unboxed items, and celebrated the red-bun burger and Stranger Wings online, generating thousands of organic posts and impressions. Earned social soared with a 100% positive sentiment - particularly impressive with two highly discerning fanbases. Hawkins Hotline drove further desirability toward a massive cultural moment and delivered outstanding commercial impact: the LTO menu became the most successful in KFC UK history. By embedding the food at the centre of a story fans could participate in, Hawkins Hotline elevated a meal into a moment of interactive fun, where flavour, fandom and anticipation collided in every order.