Before smartphones and tablets, here’s what made any kid’s day: McDonald’s Happy Meal! We weren’t just after the food; it was the toy. Over the years, McDonald’s proved that they can serve up tiny treasures that make childhood way more fun. Here are the top 10 Happy Meal toys that ruled.
10. Strawberry Shortcake Lip Balm (2005)
Remember Strawberry Shortcake, Orange Blossom, and Angel Cake? These delightful characters appeared in McDonald’s Happy Meals in 2005, but they weren’t just toy figures. They were lip balms! The characters had matching balm scents like strawberry, of course. Kids loved that the toys were scented, functional, and collectible. They also came complete with cookie-cutter accessories to stay on theme.
9. Fingerboards (2000s)
To our Millennial friends who weren’t brave enough to go skateboarding, say this with us: we love fingerboards! During the early 2000s, these fingerboards allowed us to “kickflip” and “grind” on desks and do some practice tricks on textbooks and lunch trays. In 2010 and 2012, McDonald’s released branded fingerboards inspired by Star Wars and Young Justice, respectively.
8. McNugget Tetris (2023)
Released in 2023 in China to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the McNuggets, the McNuggets Tetris handheld was surprisingly playable for a fast food toy. Yes, it played Tetris, with clear LCD gameplay and a small speaker that plays the classic Tetris theme tune! The device was shaped like a golden nugget and had both kids and adults beating each other’s high scores.
7. PlayStation Demos (2000s)
While these aren’t toys in the traditional sense, McDonald’s fans fondly remember the time when the chain offered PlayStation game demos. This gave families a chance to try the game before buying the full version. In the UK, demos were available for games like Ape Escape, FIFA 2002, and Gran Turismo 2, among others.
6. Inspector Gadget (1999)
In 1999, McDonald’s released a 14-inch action figure composed of eight individual components. We’re talking torso, legs, arms, belt, and more, and kids had to collect all parts from different Happy Meals to assemble the figure. Each part also had a playful function (water-squirting arm, flashlight legs), so the figure looked fun and unique even before it was completed.
5. SEGA Handheld Toys (2003)
Before we got the McNuggets Tetris, we had the SEGA handheld toys. In 2003, McDonald’s teamed up with SEGA to offer six interactive handheld LCD games—the first-ever playable devices in Happy Meals. These gadgets were packed with mini games starring iconic characters from SEGA’s Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Monkey Ball.
4. Furby (1999)
In response to the Furby mania in late 1990s, McDonald’s released miniature furbies packed with charm. They were able to capture the Furby design, complete with bright colors, big eyes, and fluffy ears. The toys came with limited mechanical movements like bobbling heads and eyes that moved when slightly tapped. In 2000, McDonald’s released clip-on Furbies, which were keychain-style plush toys.
3. Hot Wheels Cars (2003)
Hot Wheels Cars from Happy Meals were among the most coveted toys ever made by McDonald’s. Each car was small and slightly simpler than the original ones, but still well-loved for its high quality and sealed presentation. The best part? The Hot Wheels Cars from McDonald’s rolled just as smoothly as their store-bought counterparts!
2. Transformers (Changeables) (1987-1990)
McDonald’s showed their real genius when they released the Changeables. These Happy Meal toys transformed McDonald’s food items into robots. French fries turned into “Fry Bots” and hamburgers turned into “Mac Tonight.” These toys were released at the height of Transformers craze; there were no batteries in them, just smart plastic engineering.
1. Teenie Beanie Babies (1997)
In 1997, the miniature versions of the wildly popular Ty Beanie Babies were so in demand, they created absolute chaos at McDonald’s locations in America. Customers lined up for Happy Meals, and some stores ran out of meals and toys within hours. Despite being miniatures, the toys featured soft plush fabric, the signature Ty heart tags, and real Beanie Baby designs, animals, and names.