McDonald's is preparing for a new partnership with Pokémon, which will reintroduce toys to its Happy Meal promotion for the first time in eight years. This collaboration marks the return of a cherished element that has been absent since 2018. The fast-food chain and Pokémon have collaborated almost annually since 2011, typically featuring a selection of trading card reprints within the Happy Meals. These promotions are notable for their distinctive packaging, often designed to resemble a giant Pikachu head.
The initiative has seen increased popularity in recent years, coinciding with the resurgence of the Pokémon Trading Card Game and a culture driven by fear of missing out, which has led some consumers to view the exclusive cards as potential investments. According to TCG site PokéBeach, this year's promotion will include new toys designed to resemble mini Happy Meals themselves. These toys can also function as holders for the trading cards included in the meal.
Each Happy Meal is expected to contain two random trading cards. While the complete list of cards has not yet been revealed, PokéBeach reports that popular monsters such as Metagross, Palafin, and Hawlucha will be part of the card selection. The available toys feature a variety of fan-favorite Pokémon, including Eevee, Pikachu, Espeon, Rowlett, Weedle, Bulbasaur, Piplup, Sobble, Chikorita, Sprigatito, Squirtle, Espurr, Charmander, Minccino, and Munchlax.
The promotion is slated to begin in the United States on November 10 and run through December 14. Past collaborations have sometimes led to issues with scalpers, who would buy large quantities of the meals to resell the cards, often discarding the food. In Japan, similar events have resulted in chaos, with some McDonald's locations even involving the police. To combat this, some stores have implemented purchase limits or allowed customers to buy toys separately from the Happy Meal.
A graphic depicting a Pikachu Happy Meal is associated with this upcoming promotion.