Fast food giant McDonald’s announced it would be offering Happy Meals to adults as part of a limited-time marketing campaign to evoke nostalgia.
McDonald’s teamed up with fashion brand Cactus Plant Flea Market to create a retro-style Happy Meal box complete with a classic vintage toy, according to a corporate announcement.
Classic characters returning in toy form for adults include the Hamburgler, Grimace, Birdie and the brand new Cactus Buddy.
tell me ur fave and i’ll tell u mine pic.twitter.com/msuxetDvws
— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) September 27, 2022
The campaign exclusively and explicitly targets an adult demographic. (RELATED: 90-Year-Old Employee Celebrates 25 Years Working At McDonald’s. Coworkers Gift Him Cake Made Out Of Cash)
remember u are never too old for a happy meal
— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) September 23, 2022
Tariq Hassan, McDonald’s USA Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer said the company is “taking one of the most nostalgic McDonald’s experiences and literally repackaging it in a new way that’s hyper-relevant for our adult fans,” according to the official announcement. (RELATED: ‘Educate Himself’: Lori Lightfoot Goes After McDonald’s CEO For Criticizing Chicago’s Crime Problem)
Hot menu items like the Big Mac and chicken McNuggets will be at the “center of this collab,” Hassan added. These two meal options will also include french fries and a drink, the McDonald’s press release added.
The release will also include merchandise to match. Customers can enter to secure swag by ordering the retro meal online from the McDonald’s app as part of a sweepstakes. Merch will also be sold online as well starting at 11 a.m. Oct. 3.
The merchandise will only be available for sale for a limited time while supplies last, according to the company statement. (RELATED: McDonald’s Offering Cheese Danish For First Time Since The 1980s)
The McDonald’s and Cactus Plant Flea Market merch will include t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts and special collectible items which will all seek “to tap into deeply specific nostalgia.”
The limited edition items will hit store shelves at franchises worldwide on October 4. It is currently unclear how much an adult Happy Meal will cost.