The Happy Meal Is Turning 40, and McDonald’s Is Celebrating With Throwback Toys!

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Happy Meal with throwback toys

The Happy Meal’s birthday is causing lots of excitement in the restaurant world! 🎉

Remember that feeling of anticipation you felt while opening your Happy Meal as a kid? To celebrate the 40th anniversary of McDonald’s very first Happy Meal, the chain is letting us relive some of that excitement with a special-edition Surprise Happy Meal!

Check out this fun infographic showing a timeline of the Happy Meal’s history!

What’s the surprise? Each Happy Meal will feature one of the most popular toys of the past 40 years. Participating McDonald’s restaurants in over 90 countries around the world will be celebrating with these special Happy Meals. Families worldwide can collect one of the fifteen iconic toys, while U.S. customers may find two additional limited-edition toys from Disney.


mcdonald's happy meal

The toys featured inside will include a mix of classic characters like Grimace and the Hamburgler along with toys that were trendy at various moments in time (Space Jam Bugs Bunny, Tomagotchi, and Furby, for example). McDonald’s is giving us a more detailed look at the Surprise Happy Meal toy lineup here.

Because these Happy Meal toys really are a surprise, customers will have to head to their local McDonald’s to find out which throwback toy they’ll get. These Surprise Happy Meals and special-edition toys will be available for a very limited time only – From Thursday, November 7 through Monday, November 11, and only while supplies last!


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Join The Discussion

Comments 31

  1. Tracy

    Sure wish they were bringing back the California Raisins!😀

  2. paintingneko

    I’m so excited for the McNuggets!!!

    • Rebecca

      Same!!!

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      ME TOO!

  3. Tracy

    Oops…I believe the California Raisins were from Hardees…lol

    • Kelly

      You’re right! I remember I won a contest at my local Hardee’s and the prize was the full set of California Raisins. 🤣

  4. Emily

    I remember those darn dalmatians from when I was a kid. I thought I could get them all, but I had like 4. Lol.

    • Amanda7141

      Oh me too!! Lol

    • jess

      I am 5 short of a complete set and I am still hunting 20 something years later! I get them out every Christmas. We ate ALOT of happy meals.

  5. Lisha

    Wish they throw back the prices 😃.

    I REALLY wish McDonald’s bring back McDonaldland cookies yum.

    Thanks h2s crew for all you do!

    • Jennifer (Hip Sidekick)

      You are welcome, Lisha! We’d love to see throwback prices, too!

  6. Sarah C

    What a cute idea.

  7. Jenny

    I wish they’d bring back the Sanrio watches! Wasn’t that long ago (10 years?) but they were fantastic

  8. Rachel

    I’m gonna need ALL the nugget toys!

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      ME TOO! LOL!

  9. Frecklelily

    I have the original hamburger transformer sitting on my desk! I got it in 1987 when I was 9 and I loved it so much back then that I made sure to keep it. I also have the transformer drink. Does anyone remember the Berenstain Bears set?

    • Katie

      I still have my Berenstain Bears! My girls love playing with them.

    • Rebecca

      I have the Hotcakes transformer still!

    • Cathy

      Loved them and still have some! A lot of books too!

  10. Brooke

    Oh my goodness, I soooo remember those nuggets!!! Wow! Thanks for the memory!

  11. tipaye

    Such a neat idea! ❤️❤️

  12. hipsaver2

    I want those nuggets! LOL

  13. elewis91

    Y’all remember when McDonald’s had pizza? 90’s kid here and I had plenty of those delicious pizzas after school!!! Happy meal toys were so much better back then then now in my opinion

  14. E

    Teeny beanie babies! Yes!! Wish they’d do the cabbage patch and Barbie toys! I had those as a kid.

  15. MaymeV

    My 3 y/o daughter got the pictured pink toy & put it in her grandaddy’s coat pocket during church. He’s an attorney & wore the coat to Court that week. He pulled out the toy, looking puzzled & the judge said, “Nice duck.” My dad replied, “I believe it’s a platypus, your Honor.” They laughed. He’s gone now & the toy holds a place of honor at our house. 🙂

    • Chelsey (Hip Sidekick)

      Aww love this story! Thanks so much for sharing!

  16. MamaBear

    Wish they would bring back the disney glasses!

    • kmmom0706

      Me too!!

  17. shop4mybabies

    my son has the full set of power ranger and figurines minus one ranger that went rogue. my husband still hates me for making him so many happy meals to get a bunch of furby’s lol…my aunt still has the nugget buddies from 30 years ago

  18. Ali

    Madame Alexander Dolls were my more recent favorite. And the Dalmatians.

  19. kimlou

    Does anyone know what the recalled toy was? It was #9

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