Anyone over the age of 40 remembers a time when fast food options were limited.
Most markets had a McDonald's, a Burger King, maybe a Wendy's. and possibly a Taco Bell. Sure, there were regional players like Roy Rogers and Jack in the Box, but for people of a certain age, McDonald's was a major part of their childhood.
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The Happy Meal, which seems like it has existed forever, actually first joined the McDonald's (MCD) menu in 1979. It was an idea that now seems obvious, which was revolutionary at the time.
Happy Meals come in a box that offers various activities, filled with a burger or Chicken McNuggets, French fries, and a drink. Technically, you can substitute apple slices for fries, but that almost certainly only happens very rarely.
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The big draw for kids, however, has always been the toy packaged along with the food. These started as tops and other very basic toys, but over the years have included Lego, Star Wars tie-ins, and countless collectibles.
These toys may not be that fun, but kids really want them and they're nearly as big a draw as the food. Adults over 40, of course, remember how special Happy Meals were in their youth and in addition to buying them for their kids, have flocked to McDonald's limited-edition adult Happy Meals.
Image source: Walt Disney/TheStreet
McDonald's embraced 90s nostalgia
Happy Meals have been so successful that people collect the toys contained in them. That's something McDonald's has leaned into with its adult versions of the popular meal box by making them limited edition and highly collectible.
Few Americans noticed that late last year, the chain released an adult Happy Meal to celebrate the 30th anniversary of one of the most-successful sitcoms of all time. The popular Snackolator website shared the one that you probably missed.
"Could I BE any more jealous? McDonald's in Spain dropped a Friends Box meal last November that as their latest Happy Meal for adults," he shared.
The Happy Meals, which sold out quickly, contained toys that have been offered on eBay for over $100 each.
"Just like previous collectors meals, this featured your choice of entree, fries, a drink, and a toy — one of six Friends character toys. In addition to the very adorable toys, they had an exclusive Monica's Marinara sauce which I'm honestly not sure would go with the menu here too well," Snackolator shared.
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McDonald's made sure every detail was correct, even if it never planned to bring the Friends adult Happy Meal to the U.S.
"Even the box was so well done with the Friends 30th anniversary theme. The little details on the figures were so great with Ross having Marcel, Joey and Chandler with Chick and Duck, and Phoebe with her guitar," he added.
McDonald's sales flat around the world
While McDonald's remains a dominant brand all around the world, it had its struggles in 2024.
For last year, global comp sales decreased 0.1% for the full year, while U.S. comparable-store sales were down 1.4% for Q4 amid the impact of the E. coli outbreak linked to slivered onions on its Quarter Pounders.
"As we transition into 2025, several factors give me confidence that our performance will return to proper form over the next several quarters. First, we have the right strategy: Accelerating the Arches. Our MCD growth pillars still offer significant growth opportunities, and I'm pleased with the 2025 market plans, particularly their balance of value and full-margin food innovation," CEO Chris Kempczinski shared during the fast-food giant's fourth-quarter earnings call.
He also shared optimism that the food safety issue "is now largely behind us, and we expect to have fully recovered by the beginning of Q2."
CFO Ian Borden actually cited the "Friends" adult Happy Meal as a sales driver in Spain.
"We also saw success from our one McDonald's way approach to marketing, combining cultural relevance with global reach through a 'Friends' TV show-themed adult Happy Meal, featuring our core menu items, including six 'Friends' characters and a themed dipping sauce," he shared.
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Borden noted that the "Friends" promotion helped McDonald's beyond its impact in Spain.
"The campaign provided a significant lift to our top line, with a social media reach expanding well beyond just Spain," he added.
