McDonald’s is adding a dose of “fun” back to the old “Food, Folks, and Fun” slogan.
The iconic restaurant chain just announced the release of a limited edition Collector’s Meal menu option that will include a keepsake plastic cup. Six different cup designs feature characters from beloved brands and franchises like Hot Wheels, Barbie, Peanuts, Shrek, Beanie Babies, Jurassic Park, Coca-Cola, and Hello Kitty.
Classic McDonald’s Happy Meal figures, such as the Fry Kids and Grimace, are also represented in the collection.
Mickey D’s has a long history of offering fun promotional items with its food menu. Toys have been a staple of Happy Meals since the late 1970s, when simple prizes were included with purchase. Limited edition collectible sets have been popular with customers ever since.
Hits and misses
Not all Happy Meal promotions have held up over the years, however, although many of the “duds” are still highly desired by collectors. For example, a Confederate flag-decorated model of the Dukes of Hazzard “General Lee” car from the 1980s TV show is wildly inappropriate as a toy for kids today. Even so, these cars can fetch big bucks in online auctions.
Other promotions were downright dangerous. Some vintage McDonald’s collectible glasses were later found to contain lead paint and other unsafe materials. As recently as 2010, approximately 12 million “Shrek Forever After 3D” drinking glasses were recalled when traces of cadmium were discovered in the designs.
Serving up nostalgia
McDonald’s leans heavily on nostalgic feelings to keep loyal customers coming back. Before Halloween 2023, the restaurant revived its retro “Boo Buckets” for trick-or-treat season, while last December, diners could collect reissued “McNugget Buddy” toys based on a promotion first introduced in 1988.
This newest line of collectible cups will “[allow] longtime fans to relive treasured moments and [help] a new generation make their own lasting memories,” said Morgan Flatley, global chief marketing officer at McDonald’s, in a statement.
How to score the new cups
This cup collection will be available in restaurants and via the McDonald’s app beginning August 13, 2024. To score yours, simply purchase one of three meal options. During breakfast service, you can order a Sausage McMuffin with Egg sandwich, hash brown, and coffee combo.
For the rest of the day, choose between a 10-piece McNuggets or Big Mac sandwich meal, which comes with fries and a soft drink.
