Top 15 McDonald's Happy Meals’ Collectibles

Do you remember the last McDonald’s Happy Meal that you had when you were younger? Those were the times when your parents would take you to McDonald’s for lunch as you choose from their display of Happy Meal toys of the month. But as much as we want to bring back those times when we don’t think about bills and spend our weekdays glued to our computers in a 9-5 job, we have to face reality.

For now, sit back and relax as we take a trip down memory lane with 15 iconic McDonald’s Happy Meal toys from your childhood. Keep an eye out—your favorite toy might just be on the list! 👀

15. Boo Buckets (1986)

It’s alive! (in Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s voice) 🧟‍♂Whether you chose to dress like Frankenstein, Batman, or Snow White for trick or treat back in 1986, we’re sure that you remember those buckets that you used to hold your candies. Those were the Boo Buckets which made its debut at McDonald’s in the Halloween of 1986. It features the characters of the orange McPunk’n, the white McBoo, and the green McGoblin.

14. McDonaldland Toys – Hamburglar (1995)

Calling all 90s kids, we’re pretty sure that you remember this iconic McDonald’s character, Hamburglar! He’s that character who used to steal hamburgers and cheeseburgers from Ronald, the iconic McDonald’s clown. Today, this action figure is considered to be one of the must-have items for any collector or McDonald’s fan. One search on the internet would lead you to different Hamburglar figurine listings on eBay.

13. Hello Kitty (2013)

Calling all Hello Kitty fanatics, we’re pretty sure that you have this particular Hello Kitty Happy Meal for 2013, especially if you’re a Sanrio collector! Here, Hello Kitty is dressed as a baker, gymnast, tennis player, painter, librarian, and musician. Looks like our favorite Kitty is looking for the perfect hobby. 🤣

12. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1985)

This memorable item from McDonald’s Happy Meal features a crossover with the newly released family film E.T. and children’s favorite McDonald’s. The 1985 E.T. Happy Meal includes four collectible posters featuring movie scenes inside a Happy Meal box with E.T. prints all over. One search from the internet would lead you to different listings on eBay. That’s how you know a McDonald’s freebie is iconic!

11. McDonaldland Toys – Grimace (1990)

You might recall Grimace from last year’s purple shake, blending vanilla and berry flavors. However, true McDonald’s fans know Grimace as a former antagonist from McDonaldland who once stole milkshakes and Cokes. By 1972, he was reimagined as a friendly, clumsy character.

With its success in 1990, McDonald’s introduced a series of McDonaldland figures riding bikes, featuring Grimace on his green and yellow bike, complete with a helmet. You can even move Grimace as he pedals along.

10. Tamagotchi (1998)

Calling all 90s kids, when asked about the best things of your youth, many of you are sure to answer the Tamagotchi! These Japanese handheld devices let you care for a digital pet. Upon their U.S. debut, they teamed up with McDonald’s to offer eight Tamagotchi designs, each featuring a keychain for your virtual pet.

9. Patti the Platypus (1996)

Before secret agent Perry the Platypus from Disney’s Phineas and Ferb, the 90s kids had Patti the Platypus. In 1996, McDonald’s created a Patti the Platypus mini plushie as part of the Ty Teenie Beanie Babies collection. Patti’s unique design, featuring its vibrant teal and yellow colors and softness, made it a standout addition to any Beanie Babies collection and probably one of the most cherished Happy Meal toys of the 90s.

8. Hot Wheels Cars (1993)

This Happy Meal has shown that Hot Wheels Cars can be found everywhere! It’s clear how iconic this Happy Meal toy is, as it continually reappears with new designs and colors. But for this particular year, the Hot Wheels Cars come in eight distinct colors, each featuring McDonald’s branding. Currently, these toys are being sold on eBay to collectors as they are now considered rare collectibles.

7. Power Rangers (2000)

Power Rangers assemble! Do you recall the Lightspeed Rescue Happy Meal? This special meal featured two sets of toys. One set included six Power Bursters paired with Power Ranger figures, which could be combined to create a Make-A-Zord. The other set consisted of a train set, where each train car was equipped with a rescue vehicle. When the cars were connected, they formed a colorful robot.

6. Furby (1999)

You may remember these creepy-looking furry stuff robots that resembles animatronics from Five Nights at Freddie’s or those Gremlin creatures. They were a massive hit among young girls during the 90s, so expect McDonald’s to whip things up for their Happy Meal toys. The 1999 Furby at McDonald’s features eight collectible action figures in different colors. They have this bushy colored hair attached on top of their head for brushing.

5. Space Jam Bugs Bunny (1996)

Every 90s kid has definitely seen the Space Jam movie, which features different Looney Tunes characters and basketball star Michael Jordan. I know it’s one of those random movies but I guess it served its worth as a comedy sports film catered for the family. In 1996, McDonald’s introduced their Space Jam Happy Meal collection, and one of the most memorable action figures from that line is Bugs Bunny. This figure depicts Bugs Bunny performing a slam dunk on a basketball hoop and features a spinning action when it is rolled.

4. My Little Pony (1998)

Do you still have your collection of different rainbow My Little Pony figures? If you still do, then you’re the OG! In response to the popularity of My Little Pony in the ’80s and ’90s, McDonald’s collaborated with Hasbro to release a set of three different My Little Pony figures: Sundance, Ivy, and Light Heart. Each figure has colorful rainbow hair on its back or tail that you can brush and clip on.

3. Changeables (1987)

Let’s hop into the time machine and head back to 1987 when McDonald’s introduced the Changeables Happy Meal toys! These toys feature an interchangeable robot parts resembling McDonald’s menu items. There are six different designs to collect such as Big Mac, Chicken McNuggets, Quarter Ponder and more classic McDonald’s favorites.

2. The Berenstain Bears (1990)

For the newer generation, The Berenstain Bears may be familiar to you because it’s a popular example of the Mandela Effect — a phenomenon where a large number of the population misremembers a thing from the past, prompting the topic of alternate realities (it gets more complicated).

The Berenstain Bears is a children’s book turned TV show, and during its popularity in the 1990s, McDonald’s released a storybook collection as a Happy Meal. This may be different from the usual toys, but it deserves a spot on our list as it encourages reading among children. This was way before the emergence of iPads, of course! 😅

1. McNugget Buddies (1988)

Here’s a fun fact: Did you know that your favorite Chicken McNugget had its own Happy Meal adaptation? Yup! You read that right. It features seven different McNugget characters dressed in different careers like policeman, rockstar, and carpenter. A lot of adults who grew up in the late ’80s and ’90s have fond memories of collecting these adorable, career-themed McNuggets, making them a staple of their childhood. They were first released back in 1988 but thanks to popular demand, they came back in McDonald’s Happy Meals way back in 1992, 1994, and lastly, in 1996.

These Happy Meal toys disappeared for a long time before they were brought back in 2019 for the 40th anniversary of Happy Meal in McDonald’s. The nostalgic factor of this toy definitely pushed McDonald’s to bring it back during their 40th anniversary.

From The Club

I’m a big fan of Happy Meal toys, and I remember having a lot of them kept in my toy stash. As a certified Barbie Girl, my favorite would probably be the Barbie I Can Be series back in 2012. It features a Barbie mini doll of a doctor, ballerina, news anchor, and many more careers that Barbie had. For me, that particular Happy Meal helped young girls like me dream of becoming someone someday. But if you think about it, now that we’re grown-ups, it may be idealistic given today’s situation, but it’s a nice reminder that the little girl in us once dreamed of being like Barbie — a woman with many careers. 😅

Where ya hungry?

Top 15 McDonald’s Happy Meals’ Collectibles