McDonald's Indonesia digs into Medan heritage for latest 'Ini rasa kita' campaign

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McDonald’s Indonesia has brought two MasterChef Indonesia alumni to Medan to explore the heritage behind its latest localised menu, as part of its annual “Ini rasa kita” campaign.

Created by Leo Burnett Indonesia, the campaign film follows chefs Firhan and Yulita as they travel directly to Medan to uncover the stories, cooking techniques and local practices behind the region’s culinary heritage, before translating those learnings into Ayam Krispy McD Kari Medan.

Now in its 11th year, “Ini rasa kita” is themed “Cinta warisan Indonesia” and focuses on the recipes, traditions and stories passed down through Indonesian families.

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This year’s campaign is being rolled out in two phases. The first introduces Ayam Krispy McD Kari Medan, while the second will bring a surprise menu combining Ayam Krispy McD with sambal, an element closely associated with Indonesian cuisine. The range is complemented by Es Kopi Klepon and McFlurry Pisang Ijo.

“Aligned with the spirit of ‘Sepenuhnya Indonesia’, which has been part of McDonald’s Indonesia’s 35-year journey, we want to continue creating culinary experiences that feel close and relevant to people’s everyday lives. Through this year’s ‘Ini rasa kita’, we want to invite people to take a closer look at the stories behind recipes passed down through generations, including those that may be part of their own families,” said Caroline Kurniadjaja, associate director of marketing at McDonald’s Indonesia.

Firhan and Yulita, both alumni of MasterChef Indonesia, were involved in developing the new menu. Their role extended beyond recipe development, with both chefs travelling to the dish’s place of origin to better understand the culinary traditions behind it.

“Curry is a flavour that is close to me because it has been part of my family’s cooking since I was a child. The curry recipe my grandmother used to make was one of the main inspirations for this menu. That is why I travelled to Medan, so I could better understand that a dish is shaped not only by the ingredients used, but also by the techniques and practices passed down from one generation to another,” said Firhan.

The campaign is also extending the idea of culinary heritage beyond McDonald’s own menu development through the "Warisan resep ayam Indonesia" competition. It is open from 21 August to 13 September 2026, with consumers invited to submit a family recipe featuring chicken and sambal, accompanied by photographs and the story behind it.

Firhan and Yulita will serve as judges, assessing entries based on the uniqueness of each recipe, regional flavours, the story behind it and its potential to be developed into a local McDonald’s menu.

Following an initial selection process from 14 to 20 September, 20 shortlisted entrants will be invited to Jakarta for a cooking competition. Two winning recipes - one for chicken sauce and one for sambal - will become inspiration for the development of an Ayam Krispy McD menu in 2027.

The competition journey will also be documented on social media from 2 to 16 October 2026.

Alongside “Ini rasa kita”, McDonald’s Indonesia is marking Indonesia’s 81st Independence Day with a series of activities across its restaurants.

The programme began with National Drive Thru Day on 8 August, featuring Independence-themed decorations, a convoy with automotive communities, local community activities and traditional Independence Day games.

Discover what's next in Indonesia's fast-moving digital landscape at DMA Indonesia 2026 on 13 October in Jakarta, where marketing leaders will explore how AI, creator ecosystems, social commerce, and omnichannel strategies are reshaping customer engagement and business growth.

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