Coming 2 America Hides A Perfect McDonald’s Joke Call-Back

Coming 2 America hides a perfect McDonald’s joke in a call-back to the original film. The sequel to 1988’s Coming to America brought McDowell’s into the 21st century, with a reveal that Cleo McDowell, Lisa’s father, opened a branch of his fast food restaurant in the fictional African country of Zamunda. Even some of the staff, including Louie Anderson’s Maurice, were still working there. The original film had a lot of obvious parallels to McDonald’s and the sequel does as well, including plenty of product placement. However, Coming 2 America offers a twist on a fun joke from the original that honestly makes it even better. 

In Coming to America, McDowell’s sells a sandwich called the Big Mick, which is a spin on the Big Mac burger from McDonald’s. However, the biggest difference between the Big Mick and the Big Mac was the fact the former had an unseeded bun. It’s a small enough change to stand apart. It’s similar to Cleo’s argument that McDowell’s has golden arcs while McDonald’s has golden arches. In Coming 2 America, the unseeded bun joke comes back to bring things full circle. When Eddie Murphy’s Prince Akeem and Arsenio Hall’s Semmi return to Queens, they step out of their limousine in style, decked out in their royal coats and gold.

It’s not immediately noticeable, but there is a McDonald’s poster behind them that is advertising the “Real Big Mac with seeds.” Of course, Coming 2 America already had a lot of heavy product placement, including Cleo revealing that Pepsi is the official drink of McDowell’s restaurants. With regards to the McDonald’s poster, it’s pretty hilarious because, even after three decades, McDowell’s and the real-life fast food chain are still in a battle over things like sesame seed buns. It’s a smart bit of product placement without being way too obvious.

Plus, it pays off on a joke from the original film that fits into the scope of the film without overstepping boundaries like the Pepsi placement. The poster’s placement will get a good laugh out of audiences who notice it behind Akeem and Semmi. The ongoing tiff between McDowell’s and McDonald’s continues in Coming 2 America. Cleo reveals that the seeded vs. unseeded bun argument isn’t the only thing coming between the fast food chains.

When speaking to Akeem, who is feeling down and takes to mopping the floors of his father-in-law’s restaurant, Cleo explains the difference between the McFlubby and the McFlurry. (The toppings, including M&M’s, of the McFlubby are at the bottom.) It’s another bit of product placement, though one that doesn’t work as well and feels more forced than the quiet act of placing the McDonald’s “real Big Mac” poster in the background. Ultimately, by including the McDonald’s poster in the background, Coming 2 America gives a funny and effective nod to a joke from Coming to America. The poster simply says that the rivalry continues and connects the two films together through the decades in a smart way without being heavy-handed about it.

About The Author

Mae Abdulbaki
(1078 Articles Published)

Mae Abdulbaki is a movie reviews editor with Screen Rant. She previously wrote about a variety of movies and TV shows for Inverse, CinemaBlend, Pajiba, and The Young Folks, where she wrote reviews, features, news pieces. Her other work can be found at The Mary Sue, Film School Rejects, UPROXX, Heroic Hollywood, Looper, The List, and Bam Smack Pow, among others. Mae has also appeared on television segments, podcasts, and panels to discuss all things entertainment.

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