Buzz
For children growing up between the 1970s and early 2000s, a trip to McDonald’s for a Happy Meal was a cherished experience. The smell of the paper wrappers, the lively chatter, and the shared laughter created unforgettable moments.
Aside from indulging in deliciously greasy chicken nuggets and steaming hot fries—without a care about calorie counts—we eagerly anticipated the surprise toy hidden inside the iconic red and yellow box.
Feeling nostalgic yet? Join us as we take a trip down memory lane and revisit 10 of the most beloved McDonald’s Happy Meal toys of all time.
10. Grimace, Hamburglar, & Birdie (1979)
Admittedly, Ronald McDonald often had an unsettling, almost eerie vibe, especially with that peculiar cup on his nose. It was a relief when McDonald’s introduced Grimace, the friendly purple creature, Hamburglar, the mischievous burger thief, and Birdie, the cheerful early riser, to lighten the mood.
These iconic figurines, first released in 1979, made a nostalgic return in 2022 through a special collaboration with Cactus Plant Flea Market. Aimed at adults who grew up in the ’70s, ’80s, and even ’90s, the Adult Happy Meal also features a new addition: the Cactus Buddy figure.
However, there’s a unique twist to these toys—they now feature two sets of eyes, which adds a quirky, slightly eerie touch. This isn’t entirely surprising for those familiar with McDonald’s Happy Meal history. Fans, eager to reconnect with their childhood, have been flocking to grab these limited-edition meal boxes.
No matter how old we get, the joy of a Happy Meal never fades, especially when it includes cherished toys featuring characters we thought we’d forgotten.
9. Hot Wheels (1983)
In the past, toy cars were a beloved favorite. We raced them everywhere—at home, in the car, and wherever our parents took us. Imagine the excitement of receiving a shiny new toy car for free, paired with a tasty meal.
McDonald’s teamed up with Mattel to release a set of 14 high-quality metal cars in various colors and styles. From ambulances and police cars to sleek race cars, these toys kept kids entertained both at the restaurant and on the go.
In later years, McDonald’s introduced their own car designs, shifting to plastic bodies. Though less durable, these cars were still a hit with kids.
Back then, Happy Meal toys were gender-specific. Boys typically received Hot Wheels cars, while girls got Barbie dolls. Thankfully, times have changed, and kids can now choose any toy they prefer.
8. Ghostbusters (1984)
When something strange happens in your neighborhood, who do you call? The iconic Ghostbusters theme song is unforgettable. Imagine the joy of opening a Happy Meal to find all your favorite RGB TV show characters inside.
The collection included Staypuft the sharpener, a Slimer pencil topper, a Ghostbusters-themed pencil, a ghost-shaped notepad, and a pencil pouch. But that wasn’t all—the boxes were packed with games and activities to keep you entertained all day.
My favorite Happy Meal box featured an “Ecto’s Defectos” puzzle on one side, challenging me to spot everything wrong with Ecto-1. Sure, the ghost in the driver’s seat was obvious, but there was also a flat tire, a broken light, a missing door, and even a busted bumper.
On the flip side of the box, the “Bedtime Surprise” activity was a breeze. All you had to do was match the mischievous ghosts to their slimy trails.
The “Total Confusion” puzzle featured oddly shaped ghosts trapped in an Ecto-Containment Unit. Your mission was to count them all, and if you found all 13, you were a winner.
Finally, there was the Ghostbusted jigsaw puzzle, where Slimer ended up in pieces after being caught in Egon’s ghost net. Putting Slimer back together required popping out all his parts, which often damaged the box, but the fun made it worthwhile.
Other Happy Meal boxes featured a variety of engaging activities to keep you entertained while enjoying your crispy, golden fries.
7. Transformers/My Little Pony (1985)
Back in the day, the ideal Happy Meal let boys expand their Transformer collection, while girls could proudly display their My Little Pony Charms.
The Transformers lineup included Cliffjumper, the ever-popular Bumblebee, Brawn, and Gears. Meanwhile, the My Little Pony Charms set featured Blossom, Butterscotch, the adorable Snuzzle, Minty, Blue Belle with her purple hair, and Cotton Candy. These toys were so beloved that they inspired animated series and movies.
In 1996, McDonald’s introduced five new toys to their Transformers Happy Meal lineup to celebrate the Beast Wars cartoon. These included Beetle, MantaRay, Rhino, Panther, and a toy designed for kids under three.
The promotion featured two types of meal boxes—one with punch-out cards of Optimus Prime and his heroic allies, and the other showcasing Megatron and his villainous crew.
The 1997 My Little Pony collection amazed kids with ponies featuring turnable heads, brushable tails, and detailed decals. While the original toys were often clipped to back pockets, the updated designs made them even more interactive and fun.
6. Changeables (1987)
Following the massive success of Transformer toys, McDonald’s launched their own twist: the Changeables.
What appeared to be an ice cream cone, fries, burgers, Egg McMuffin, Chicken McNuggets, or hotcakes could transform into robots, dinosaurs, and other imaginative creatures. Simply unfold these food items, and suddenly, you were ready for an epic rescue mission in a world of your own creation.
The 1987 Changeables collection didn’t have much of a backstory, aside from a few jokes on the packaging. However, McDonald’s introduced a full storyline in 1989.
The Munchoids, a group of food thieves, aimed to steal every Happy Meal on Earth. It was up to the Changeables to stop them. Fry, the robot, devised a plan: the Changeables would shrink, travel across the galaxy, and land on Earth, where they would replicate themselves so every child could have one.
And that’s exactly what they did.
5. Fraggle Rock Toys (1988)
Beyond the Muppets, the Fraggle Rock series was a standout hit. This early ’80s musical fantasy show blended artistry, humor, and wild energy, captivating audiences of all ages.
McDonald’s seized the opportunity and launched a Happy Meal featuring four characters: Gobo in an orange carrot car, Mokey cruising in a purple eggplant car, Red in a red radish car (because red always stands out), and Wembley and Boober sharing a green cucumber car. Boober, facing the wrong way, likely lost a bet and wasn’t too happy about it.
To prevent choking hazards, kids under three received Gobo holding a carrot or Red clutching a radish.
I often wondered why the Fraggles drove vegetable-themed cars. Were they encouraging us to eat our greens, or perhaps hinting at a future where cars run on eco-friendly veggie power?
4. Super Mario Bros. (1990)
By this time, kids from the ’70s and ’80s had grown up, and Nintendo video games were all the rage. We were obsessed with every game, especially Super Mario Bros. 3.
Before we could even finish discussing Super Mario Bros. 3, McDonald’s rolled out their Happy Meal toys featuring the game’s characters. Our desire to collect these toys wasn’t just casual—it was an absolute must.
The initial set included four characters, or five if you count Racoon Mario, designed specifically for younger kids. Jumping Mario had a spring-loaded feature that made him soar, while Luigi gripped a starman as he rode his pull-back cloud car. The set also featured a bouncing Koopa Paratroopa and a somersaulting Little Goomba.
Everyone had a favorite figure, but honestly, there were no bad choices. The challenge was figuring out how to incorporate them into your action figure adventures without them bouncing away.
3. Mini Furbies (1999)
Furby toys became a massive craze in the ’90s, and McDonald’s capitalized on their popularity by introducing Mini Furbies in their Happy Meals.
McDonald’s adjusted the original Furby design, giving their Mini Furbies blinking eyes and movable ears to make them less eerie. However, their oversized eyes still had a creepy vibe, and their bat-like ears didn’t help. Thankfully, these Mini Furbies didn’t talk unexpectedly at night like their larger counterparts, or they might have scared us out of our beds.
Maybe it was the slight horror element that made them so intriguing. Who knows? Perhaps they’ve been secretly watching us all along and will one day rise to take over the world.
The 1999 collection featured 80 Mini Furbies in total. Dedicated fans likely hunted down all eight series, each containing ten unique Mini Furbies.
In 2000, McDonald’s released 12 mini Furby keychains inspired by the 1998 Furby designs. These were more charming, with names like Diamondback Snake, Elephant, Cow, Lamb, Giraffe, Tiger, Fox, Raccoon, Monkey, Owl, Tree Frog, and Dinosaur.
2. Teenie Beanie Babies (1997)
The Beanie Babies craze is unforgettable, perhaps more so than the toys themselves. Many of us still have our cherished collections stashed away in closets or attics.
These soft, huggable, bean-filled toys captivated kids, parents, and even grandparents, sparking such demand that disputes erupted at McDonald’s locations nationwide.
McDonald’s collaboration with Ty Inc. led to annual releases of new Beanie Babies at their restaurants, a tradition that continued until 2000.
The 1997 collection featured 10 Beanies, including Patti the platypus, Chops the lamb (a name unlikely to pass today), Pinky the flamingo, Chocolate the moose, Snort the bull, Goldie the goldfish, Seamore the seal, Speedy the turtle, Quacks the duck, and Lizz the lizard.
While everyone had their preferred Beanie Babies, the 1998 set featured favorites like Doby the dog, Inch the worm, Pinchers the lobster, and Bongo the monkey. In 1999, Freckles the leopard stole hearts alongside Chip the cat, Strut the rooster, and Nuts the squirrel.
For those still collecting Happy Meal Beanies, the toys were later categorized into themes like “Pet Pals,” “Garden Bunch,” “At the Zoo,” and “Under the Sea.” And who could forget the iconic Libearty Bear?
Even though the internet often dismisses these pocket-sized Beanie Babies as “worthless” today, they remain priceless treasures in our memories.
1. Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers (1995)
McDonald’s has always embraced collaborations with popular TV shows and movies, so it was exhilarating when they launched MMPR Happy Meal toys to coincide with the MMPR movie release.
Every meal now came with exciting Power Ranger gadgets like the “Power Siren” and “Alien Detectors.” You might also find the “Power Com” or, if luck was on your side, the coveted “PowerMorpher Buckle.”
McDonald’s also offered actual Power Ranger figurines with Zord accessories, though these were sold separately. These figures were impressively crafted (even by today’s standards) and closely mirrored their TV versions, making them the ultimate collectibles for ’90s kids.
