Labubu Food, Super Bowl for The Girlies, and Table 43 is Missing

F&B operators are toying with Labubu dolls, the rise of Love Island watch parties, and the latest EGC trend taking over TikTok | Ok, Boomer #7

Ok Boomer is a column dishing out three quick takes on Gen Z, from Gen Z, about their impact on culture, food, hospitality, and more.

Labubu Food

If you don’t have kids, or aren’t chronically online like us, you may be confused by the little furry monsters popping up across the country. Labubu—a character from PopMart’s “The Monsters” toy collection—is the hottest, most exclusive toy on the market, with resellers charging $150+ a pop, and rare Labubus fetching tens of thousands. Did we mention the toys retail starting at $28 from PopMart?

For a bit of background, the snaggle‑toothed plush toys are typically sold in “blind-boxes” where the buyer has no idea which Labubu they’re buying. This artificial scarcity, along with strategic collaborations, have fueled Labubu’s meteoric rise since 2019, with the hype reaching its peak this summer.

The trend has gotten so big, even restaurants are hopping on it, with adult happy meals that come with everything from the coveted plushies to Labubu shaped treats.

Labubu Happy Meals

Limited‑run happy meals mimic the scarcity and blind‑box mechanics that helped drive the popularity of Labubu, driving FOMO and rapid sell‑outs.

Austin-based food influencer @austinfoodadventures launched a popup series in collaboration with local chefs & restaurants. Each happy meal typically includes a burger or sandwich, fries, dessert, and of course, a Labubu of your choice. The most recent popup with Jew Boy Burgers sold out in seven minutes.

@austinfoodadventuresThank you for making labubu happy meals happen fam! @ethos_atx @steffie2028 . Who should I make happy meals with next? #atx #austinfoodadventures #atxfoodtime

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In Dubai, Beau offers a Labubu happy meal that costs nearly $80 USD. The meal includes a cheeseburger, fries, a drink, and handheld apple pie. Beau is no stranger to viral meals—their caviar chicken nuggets took over the internet in January.

@princess.dkbPS: I recommend getting there at 6:20 PM to snag a table and, most importantly, your Labubu meal – because once they’re gone for the day, they’re gone 👀 So congrats, your FYP just did its big one 🤭 Mark your calendars, set your alarms, do whatever you gotta do – just don’t miss out... @beau ❤️❤️❤️ #labubu #labubudubai #beau #popmart #blindbox

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For operators interested in getting in on the hype, beware the Lafufu—the term for a counterfeit Labubu (yes, there are counterfeit Labubus). These knockoffs sell at much lower price points…for the added cost of online ridicule.