MANILA - McDonald's Philippines sold close to 3.5 million pieces of chicken nuggets on the launch day of its Korean pop group-inspired BTS meal, an official said Wednesday.

The total is about 1,000 percent higher compared to the average daily nuggets sales, McDonald's Philippines managing director Margot Torres told ANC.

Close to a million BTS meals were also sold since the launch date, she added.

"It was phenomenal. We were so surprised. It was a fantastic launch day on June 18. We really painted the town purple," Torres said.

Aside from the meal comprised of 10-piece chicken nuggets, fries, coke and 2 special dips, the brown bag packaging was also critical to the BTS fans called ARMY, Torres said.

"There were very specific instructions to our crew, to our riders, you are not to fold it just to seal. But really preserve it. Some of them like their cup, they wash it, they dry it and they make it like merchandise around the tumbler," she said.

This, she said, was a testament to how strong the BTS and the McDonald's brands are.

Unlike in Indonesia, where over a dozen McDonald's branches temporarily shut when social distancing protocols were breached by flock of delivery riders, the BTS meal launch in the Philippines was "very orderly," Torres said.

Torres said there were specific lines for riders and for consumers. There were even volunteers who ensured minimum health protocols were observed.

BTS has a reputation for boosting sales of any items or brands they promote or endorse.

The South Korean government also recognized the group's contribution to the economy by saying that they helped generate billions of dollars as well as jobs.

The K-pop group's label, Bit Hit Entertainment, earlier filed for an initial public offering.

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