The Halloween season is full of all sorts of spooky goodies for consumers to enjoy. Chances are that you or someone you love is a Starbucks pumpkin spice latte devotee – or a lover of pumpkin spice anything, really, to each their own. But for fans of fast food, the haunted holiday means one childhood favorite toy is returning to stores – McDonald's Halloween buckets.
In 1977, McDonald's (MCD) -) started offering meals for kids in an effort to make the restaurant more family-friendly. The effort paid off. The kids' meals, dubbed "Happy Meals," were a huge success – thanks, in part, to the exclusive toys inside. But in 1986, McDonald's presented a toy unlike any other – a Happy Meal container that was, itself, a toy. And a very useful candy container for the upcoming trick-or-treating festivities.
Related: McDonald's menu taps into nostalgia once again
Since then, the McDonald's boo bucket has become a beloved Halloween collector's item. And thanks to the deregulation of advertising in the early 1980s, kid-friendly merchandise was selling better than ever before. And McDonald's was keen to get in on the advertising opportunities presented by Halloween – which resulted in nostalgia TV gold like this vintage commercial for boo buckets from 1990.
The bucket designs have gone through different iterations over the years. The 1990 edition of McGhost was glow-in-the-dark. Some ideas, like 1991's boo bags, didn't capture the hearts of consumers the way the classic buckets did.
But in 2022, after a six year hiatus, McDonald's finally brought back the boo bucket – and customers loved it. Local social media threads let customers in various areas know where to go to collect the full set. The new editions were a call back to the classic design – no funny cartoons, no branding crossovers – just pure nostalgia.
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This year, McDonald's is hoping the fan-favorite Happy Meal Halloween buckets will drum up the same amount of hype, or more. McDonald's is even releasing limited-edition boo bucket mini backpacks for the more fashionable and grown-up collectors. And the release day for these haunted little pails is fast approaching.
How long will the McDonald's Halloween buckets be out?
This year, the McDonald's boo buckets will be available for purchase on Tuesday, October 17. The Halloween bucket Happy Meals are technically available until October 31 – but in truth, they're only available while supplies last. McDonald's toys in high demand have a tendency to sell out before the end of their promotions.
Collectors are encouraged to go sooner rather than later.
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How many boo buckets are there?
Since the second version of the pails, there have always been the same three McDonald's Halloween buckets – the McPunk’n, the McGhost, and the McGoblin. Some iterations come with lids and others don't.
For adult bucketeers, the McGoblin may be better known as the McWitch. The company has retroactively rebranded the name to McGoblin where possible, but it's unclear exactly why the name was changed.
Does the McDonald's Halloween bucket Happy Meal come with a toy?
Sorry, kids, but the bucket is the toy – there is no additional Happy Meal toy inside the McDonald's Halloween bucket. But if you're seeing the world from a pail half-empty perspective, try imagining that McDonald's boo bucket nearly overflowing with candy.
How do I order the McDonald's boo buckets?
Starting October 17, just order a Happy Meal from your nearest McDonald's. The Halloween buckets will automatically come with the meal. To make ordering fast and easy, you can also use the McDonald's app to order ahead of time. This might be especially helpful if you're trying to collect all three.
@kaylaandsamantha McDonalds Boo Buckets are out and we went on a scavenger hunt for all 3! 🤣👻🎃🪣🤣 #mcdonalds #halloween #boobuckets #omg #couple #ohio
♬ original sound - Kayla and Samantha
