Robots by Diener Keshi and Underwater Monsters (1979) Because of their rarity and age, a single Happy Meal Robot or Underwater Monster toy is worth almost $600 today.
Now, those toys you got for free from a McDonald's classic kids' meal can earn you some cash. “The Lego Bionicle set from McDonald's sells for $209. This is an item from a kids' show in the early 2000s that became popular,” says Tim Connon, founder of ParamountQuote, an insurance advisement company.
In 1977, the Happy Meal, which came with a regular-size burger, fries, Keebler cookies, a soda and a Cracker Jack surprise toy, launched only in McDonald's franchise stores in Kansas City, Denver and Phoenix as a promotional item.
When the Happy Meal was launched in 1979, the toys were a McDoodle stencil, a McWrist wallet, an ID bracelet, a puzzle lock, a spinning top or a McDonaldland character-shaped eraser.
The adult Happy Meals are available for a limited time only. McDonald's recently-released adult Happy Meal was designed to engender feelings of “nostalgia” among its older customers.
You can purchase McDonald's Happy Meal toys for $1.59 – $1.69 — no Happy Meal required.
The “Cactus Plant Flea Market Box” is a limited-time collaboration with trendy fashion brand Cactus Plant; it's a larger box than the standard Happy Meal (though still with those signature Golden Arch-shaped handles) that holds a choice of either a 10-piece chicken nugget or a Big Mac and an order of medium fries, with ...
Because of their rarity and age, a single Happy Meal Robot or Underwater Monster toy is worth almost $600 today.
The plastic toys will be phased out by end of 2025
The move to more eco-friendly toys will reduce its virgin, fossil fuel-based plastic use by 90 per cent, the company said, equivalent to more than 650,000 people entirely eliminating plastics each year.
Squishmallows, the soft, squishy stuffed toys loved by kids, will be coming to McDonald's restaurants across the U.S. in late 2023 as the featured toys in Happy Meals.
The first kids' meal, Funmeal, emerged at Burger Chef in 1973 and succeeded. Discerning the popularity of the kids' meal, McDonald's introduced its Happy Meal in 1978, and other fast food corporations, including Burger King, followed suit with their own kids' meals.
$1.10 -- Cost of the first Happy Meal, introduced in 1979 as the Circus Wagon Happy Meal. It included a burger, fries, drink, McDonaldland cookies and penny toys such as a McDoodler stencil or a McDonald's character eraser.
After the Happy Meal was introduced in 1978, packets of cookies were often included inside the meal box. With the exception of Ronald McDonald, the McDonaldland characters and cookies were discontinued in 2003.
Typically, each Happy Meal toy launch lasts for about one month. Throughout the month, a different toy in that particular theme will be given out.
McDonald's gives out 1.5 billion toys in their Happy Meals every year.
Individually, these toys are worth about $10, but selling them in larger sets is really where you'll make your money. Take this lot of 29 Furby keychains that sold on eBay for $127.50, for example.
Sometimes McDonald's has only one toy offered with their children's meal promotions, but other promotions offer a choice of two toys—one targeted at girls, the other at boys.
McDonald's is bringing back nostalgic toys in new adult Happy Meals.
In 2014, facing a barrage of criticism for its gendered toys, McDonald's issued numerous statements to the press indicating that their employees would no longer be asking customers whether they wanted a “girls' toy” or a “boys' toy” when purchasing a Happy Meal.
As it turns out, the main reason that toys have four eyes is because McDonald's collaborated with streetwear brand Cactus Plant Flea Market on their designs. The brand is known for their off-beat designs, and one of their signature elements has long been a face with four eyes.
McDonald's adult Happy Meal toys
State of play: One of four toys is included as "a surprise" with the meal: Three iconic McDonald's characters Grimace, the Hamburglar and Birdie, along with a new "Cactus Buddy!" figure.
As it turns out, the main reason that toys have four eyes is because McDonald's collaborated with streetwear brand Cactus Plant Flea Market on their designs. The brand is known for their off-beat designs, and one of their signature elements has long been a face with four eyes.
3. They come in two varieties: a Big Mac Box and 10-piece Chicken McNuggets both with fries, a drink and a toy.