

A good way to get on people’s radar was with little nugget toys wearing cool hats, also known as Nugget Buddies. 1988Ĭhicken McNuggets were added to the menu in 1983, and the fast food chain wanted to sell as many as possible.
The toys that came out in these years included The Brave Little Toaster, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, 101 Dalmatians, The Rescuers Down Under, and many more. McDonald’s hit the jackpot by teaming up with Disney for toys inspired by their movies. These vintage collectibles are well-remembered and loved by fans. The same year Mickey D’s was changing the game with McRobots, they also came out with these insanely adorable Muppet Babies toys. These toys were mini Bic Macs, fries, McNuggets, milkshakes, Egg McMuffins, and Quarter Pounders that transformed into tiny robots. McDonald’s got in on the Transformers hype with McRobots. In October 2022, McDonald’s brought these back at select locations in Canada.


These pails were known as “Boo Buckets” and each one had a name: McBoo, McPunk’n, and McGoblin. Things got a little spooky when McDonald’s used Halloween pails instead of their traditional Happy Meal boxes.
EARLY 2000S NOSTALGIA FOOD SERIES
The series was titled “An American Tail” and included four stories that followed the adventures of a little pipsqueak mouse. McDonald’s offered books in lieu of traditional Happy Meal toys. These bright ponies were such a hit, they came back again and again throughout the 90s and 2000s. My Little Pony were popular 80s toys, so McDonald’s just had to saddle up and offer them in the Happy Meals.
EARLY 2000S NOSTALGIA FOOD MOVIE
Toys from the original movie came out in June. Back in 1984, however, it was all about the Ghostbusters. Who ya gonna call? These days, it’s probably DoorDash or GrubHub to orders McDonald’s. In this gender-neutral world, that language is no longer used. Happy Meals came with either a Hot Wheels car or Barbie, depending on if you requested a “boy” or “girl” toy. McDonald’s and Mattel formed one of the best brand partnerships of all time. Customers were given a box of cookies, an ice cream cone, or a refund in exchange. McDonald’s ran into legal trouble when 10 million Playmobil Happy Meal toys were recalled since they were a choking hazard to kids under 3-years-old.
EARLY 2000S NOSTALGIA FOOD TV
It was the first time the fast food chain helped promote a TV show, video game, or movie, and they haven’t gone back since. In December, McDonald’s partnered with Star Trek: The Motion Picture to offer themed Happy Meals and toys from the movie. The toys were “McDoodler” stencils, “McWrist” wallets, small bracelets, puzzles, erasers, or spinning tops. The Happy Meal was born! The box had a circus theme and came with fries, cookies, a soft drink, and a toy. This kitchenware continued to be sold at select restaurants throughout the 90s. McDonald’s released kitchenware referred to as the “McDonald’s Action Series.” You could pay just 49 cents for a reusable souvenir glass, or spend about $1 for fun plates with the characters printed on the front. This vintage Ronald McDonald doll was very popular with customers. These toys were modeled after their famous brand mascots. The 1970s 1970Įven before the Happy Meal, McDonald’s still sold little toys at select locations. 33 million of these straws came with drinks the first year alone, which was huge for getting people familiar with the McDonald’s brand. McDonald’s was doing reusable straws before they were cool! Take a look at the Sippy Dipper Straws, which were shaped like the iconic arches. Later on, he got a much-needed makeover and the Hamburglar, Grimace, Mayor McCheese, and Birdie joined the “Snack Pack.” 1969 At first Ronald McDonald looked like a creepy horror movie villain and wore a cup on his nose. 1963Įveryone’s favorite clown became the face of McDonald’s. This led to franchises, and eventually, the partnerships that would be essential for the future of Happy Meal toys. Burgers cost only 15 cents! 1954Īn ambitious salesman named Ray Kroc encouraged the McDonald brothers to start opening more restaurants. It was called “McDonald’s Famous Barbecue,” before the name was shortened to “McDonald’s” 8 years later. The very first McDonald’s opened in San Bernardino, California. Here’s a timeline of how the fast food company got started and a list of the most popular Happy Meal toys ever used. McDonald’s was one of the biggest brands in the world by the 1960s. Timeline of McDonald’s Toys & Merchandise
