McDonald’s Japan is pretty desperate to get customers through the door.
In April, the fast food giant created a big mac with three times the amount of meat. Now, the company has launched a Willy Wonka-style competition, in which a lucky customer can win an 18-karat gold chicken McNugget valued at $1,500.
The competition is meant to promote its two new dipping sauces; fruit cherry and creamy cheese. The competition revolves around a mysterious villain, who wears a bright yellow suit. Those interested in winning need to help unmask the villain by following clues posted on the company’s twitter page.
While the competition has created buzz on social media, it won’t necessarily translate into higher sales for a struggling McDonald’s Japan. The company reported an operating loss of ¥25 billion ($210 million) in 2015, which was more than triple its losses the year before. The company ended up closing 130 stores last year.
The loss followed an embarrassing food scandal, which involved its Chinese supplier, Shanghai Husi Foods, which had allegedly sold expired meat to its customers. A month after the meat scandal, another customer found a human tooth in a serving of fries. The company also wrestled with shortage of imported American spuds, which resulted in french fry rationing at its 3,100 Japanese outlets.