Macca’s is putting on Australia’s first McHappy Day Festival, turning one secret restaurant into a free fundraiser headlined by Stace Cadet and Yolanda Be Cool. The restaurant location is still under wraps, but the afternoon will include face painting, temporary tattoos and other family-friendly activities before Stace Cadet and Yolanda Be Cool take over the decks from 2 pm to 4 pm. Every donation made through the festival will support Ronald McDonald House Australia, helping families stay close while children are seriously ill or injured. Stace Cadet is best known for his ARIA Platinum-certified track ‘Energy’, while Yolanda Be Cool’s ‘We No Speak Americano’ remains a dancefloor favourite more than 16 years after its release. “We’ve played some pretty unusual venues over the years, but a Macca’s festival is a first. We can’t wait to get behind the decks, soak up the atmosphere and be part of a really fun and important day for the community. The fact it’s all in support of Ronald McDonald House Australia makes it even more special,” Yolanda Be Cool said. Stace Cadet’s connection to McHappy Day runs deeper than the music. His son Obi was diagnosed with cancer, giving him firsthand experience of the challenges families face during serious childhood illness and the support organisations such as Ronald McDonald House Australia can provide. “As a parent who’s experienced the challenges that come with a child’s serious illness, you never forget the people and support that help you through the toughest moments,” Stace Cadet said. “That’s why McHappy Day Festival means a lot to me. It’s incredible to see music being used to bring people together for such an important cause, helping Ronald McDonald House Australia continue supporting families when they need it most.” Canberra father Justin and his son Luca spent more than 33 months at Ronald McDonald House Randwick after Luca was diagnosed in 2020, aged 10, with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a rare and aggressive form of leukaemia. Luca underwent treatment while the pair stayed at the House. Limited-edition McHappy Day merchandise will return for 2026, including fan-favourite Silly Socks featuring Grimace and Hamburglar for $6.50 and new Stonewash Cool Caps for $9.95. McHappy Day has raised more than $83 million since 1991, supported each year by thousands of Macca’s crew members and customers. Ronald McDonald House Australia supports more than 89,000 families annually through Ronald McDonald Houses, Family Accommodation, Family Rooms, Family Hubs, Family Retreats, Hospitality Carts and the Learning Program, providing comfort, care and connection throughout a family’s healthcare journey. Annabel Fribence, Chief Marketing Officer for McDonald’s Australia, said, “We’re known for serving Big Macs, but this McHappy Day, we’re serving up DJ sets too. “McHappy Day Festival is a celebration of everything McHappy Day stands for: having fun, giving back and supporting Ronald McDonald House Australia. With Stace Cadet and Yolanda Be Cool headlining, we’re turning one of our restaurants into Australia’s most unexpected music venues and giving the community a whole new way to get behind the cause. “Whether you’re joining us for McHappy Day Festival, grabbing a Big Mac, picking up a pair of Silly Socks or making a donation, every contribution helps families stay together when it matters most.” McHappy Day Festival takes place on Saturday November 14 at a secret Macca’s restaurant, with the location still to be revealed. Source: Omnicom Find more food culture updates on Crumb Wire.

Quick Bites Halloween lolly bowls are getting a little hotter this year as Allen’s launches new Swicy Beans alongside returning favourites Black Cats and Mad About Teeth. The two cult favourites already have plenty of history behind them: Mad About Teeth first broke out of Allen’s party mixes into its own bag in 2021, while Black Cats has spent years dividing lolly lovers with its unmistakable aniseed flavour. Shannon Wright, Head of Marketing Confectionery at Nestlé, said, “Halloween is all about sharing treats and having a little fun, so it’s great to be bringing back the spookier cult favourites – Black Cats and Mad About Teeth while introducing a sweet and spicy lolly – new Allen’s Swicy Beans. Lolly lovers need to get in quick as they’re all limited edition.” Swicy Beans are the new addition this year, starting sweet before a spicy kick comes through. They come in a 240g share bag containing 12 individual 20g mini bags, making them easy to split across trick-or-treat bowls. Black Cats and Mad About Teeth are both back in 170g bags, giving Halloween shoppers two familiar options alongside the new sweet-and-spicy release. Black Cats and Mad About Teeth are priced at $5 each, while Swicy Beans are $6. Allen’s Black Cats, Mad About Teeth and Swicy Beans are available now exclusively at Coles stores nationwide while stocks last. Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

A raspberry Slurpee has found its way into a Drumstick cone, as 7-Eleven and Peters turn two familiar Aussie summer staples into one frozen mash-up. The new Drumstick Slurpee takes 7-Eleven’s raspberry Slurpee flavour and rebuilds it as Drumstick’s first-ever sorbet creation, combining raspberry-flavoured sorbet with smooth vanilla and fizzy candy pieces for a little extra pop and crunch. The chocolate tip has held onto its position at the bottom of the cone because, collaboration or not, some things should just remain untouched. Andrea Hamori, Head of Marketing at Peters Ice Cream, said, “Drumstick is always looking for ways to shake up the classic cone experience, and our first-ever sorbet creation is a really exciting milestone for us. “Slurpee’s raspberry flavour is already a huge hit with Aussies, so we wanted to see what would happen if we gave it the Drumstick treatment. The result is something fruity, refreshing and packed with all the fun you’d expect from both brands.” The collaboration has already been a hit overseas and has now landed in Australia, giving the classic cone a fruitier spin without losing the creamy vanilla and chocolate hit people expect from a Drumstick. More than 155 million Drumstick cones are sold annually, while millions of Slurpees are enjoyed each year, making both products a pretty familiar part of Australian summers. Research cited by the brands found 42% of Australian snack consumers agree that flavour collaborations between brands add excitement to snacks. In this case, the experiment is fairly literal: take one of 7-Eleven’s best-known Slurpee flavours, put it in a Drumstick and see what happens. “Slurpee has been part of Australian summers and weekends for generations, so seeing our signature raspberry flavour reimagined as a Drumstick cone is a fun new chapter,” said Rob Kirby, General Manager of Merchandise, 7-Eleven Australia. “This is a collaboration that brings a little nostalgia with something completely unexpected, and is exactly what 7-Eleven does best, so we can’t wait for customers to get their hands on it.” The new Drumstick Slurpee is available now exclusively at 7-Eleven stores across Australia for summer. Source: Wired Co. Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

After 13 years and 10 venues in WA, Varsity is making its first move east with a 2,800-square-metre Ringwood venue built for burgers, beers, live sport, bowling and arcade chaos under one roof. Opening on November 13 in the former Jooce nightclub site, Varsity Ringwood will have a licensed capacity of 1,100, making it the brand’s biggest venue yet. A 70-foot bar pouring 52 taps sits at the centre of the space, surrounded by more than 30 screens, including three mega screens dedicated to live sport. The arcade alone covers 440 square metres and has more than 70 games, with 27 appearing at a Varsity venue for the first time. Hydraulic racing games, virtual reality, coin pushers, ticket and prize games sit alongside Pokémon and Metallica pinball, with a walk-through prize shop at the exit stocked with collectables, figurines, skate decks and movie memorabilia. Eight tenpin bowling lanes sit beneath a full-width HD LED video wall, while a dedicated pool room keeps a little of Varsity’s old-school dive-bar DNA in the mix. Three separate function spaces have also been built for private events, watch parties and sports team functions. Varsity Head of Marketing Abby Rohde said the idea was to bring the full Varsity experience together in one place. “Varsity has been built around creating epic experiences. Whether you’re here to catch the game, get stuck into a burger, challenge your mates in the arcade or settle in for a big night, we bring it all together.” Large-scale murals by artist Michael Hartley run through the venue and across the exterior façade, giving the new site its own look rather than simply transplanting the WA venues into Melbourne. “Ringwood is a massive milestone for us. Every part of this venue has been designed to deliver the ultimate Varsity line-up,” Rohde said. Varsity’s American-style burgers and bar classics are making the trip east too, alongside the rotating Burger of the Month that has become known for limited-edition collaborations and slightly unhinged builds. With two free car parks offering more than 100 spaces, the venue is set up for everything from a quick burger and a game to a full night of sport, bowling, arcade runs and drinks. Opening weekend Varsity Ringwood opens on Friday, November 13, with live art from Sindy Sinn, $8 pints during Happy Hour from 5 pm to 6 pm and DJs playing from 6 pm to 10 pm on both Friday and Saturday. Arcade giveaways will run across the weekend. Machine will be live screen printing from 3 pm on Saturday, with a Varsity Lager pint and shirt combo available for $40, while a Red Bull Replica Formula 1 Car will be parked inside the venue for the full opening weekend. Source: Kate Co. Find more dining out updates on Crumb Wire.