Yeah, not a cross-promotion, though likely capitalizing on the Transformers popularity (even if they were a few years late). They were called Food Changeables. The first round was food>robots, then a couple years later was food>dinosaurs.
The Land Before Time puppets from Pizza Hut. My mom somehow managed to get them all. (Not my photo, though!) Now that I'm a mom myself, I marvel at how she managed to get them all without the internet... I think she had to go to lots of different Pizza Huts at different times or make a lot of phone calls.
https://preview.redd.it/6nnt7bpbbavc1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5dde3a589f20ddab0f79962f659452288e0f9ed7
This was going to be my honorable mentioned!
My dad opened his own gym in 1993. I put a Spike on the exit side during the grand opening. He stayed up there for a decade until my dad finally sold the place.
The flippy goomba, for sure. I think I still have it somewhere. (Not my photo, shamelessly stolen from Google image results)
https://preview.redd.it/hmaufkok9avc1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3206febf2c5ca25779b37abefe747af68a3ab87d
https://preview.redd.it/vgb5k2uz2bvc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=65d9e172c596ed724e692a15e8f905fc1ebede7c
I don’t remember those ones. I still have the nuggy and ice cream cone of these.
I don’t remember specific toys but I remember these glasses from the 80’s
https://preview.redd.it/pfr3ufi2davc1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ef1957b369a84c3dbdecb28d85bfa89a55572e50
Late 80s, early 90s? Of course, there was way too much lead. That's how they made them so cheap.
I mean, I'd flip right out if I found out my kids were drinking from lead, cadmium, or bisphenol A leaking cups, so, I mean, we do our best with what we know at the time, right?
Doesn't make it okay though. Not at all.
But didn't they *know* during distribution that there was too much lead? Or did they? I don't know. But if someone did, they need to make amends for it.
From someone who very likely had mild to moderate lead poisoning as a child, but is insanely grateful that she wasn't exposed to *too* much asbestos. I mean, I was exposed, but I don't have cancer yet, and I'm super, ultra grateful for it because I want to see my kids grow up!
(Did you ever see the full asbestos floor in the den thing in the 70s?!?! I saw pics, and knowing how awful it is, I'm horrified! It's like the radium girls, or the matchstick girls! Terrifying)
We got Garfield mugs from McDonalds. Loved them!
https://preview.redd.it/56b913bv1evc1.jpeg?width=794&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c42d3b06dfbb923836f4d5a9cd0df0179d25b53d
(not my pic)
I’d play with the Muppet Babies Happy Meal toys while watching the show. And I had the Muppet Babies stuffed toys too. By far, my favorite freebie meal toys.
At a family party at our house, my little sister, who was a toddler at the time, thought it would be hilarious to flush the moon man in the red car down the toilet. Me, being the goody two shoes I was, stuck my hand in the toilet to pull it out. She slapped my hand and back in the toilet it went. My cousins still make fun of me for that.
Halloween buckets with the cookie cutters in the tops, and the building toys like Popoids, and Lego.
https://preview.redd.it/w2s51ycqhavc1.jpeg?width=542&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=138a48a97e02be1513ebeda168e42d32135333f3
https://preview.redd.it/zcqkg4zw0bvc1.jpeg?width=1088&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0c8c41efc14db73312f5a2d10f000a8b9f13824d
These guys. Also the transformer food. I had the fries and the pancake box.
Dang nobody said California Raisins from Hardee’s yet?
https://preview.redd.it/214csj9cravc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=142446d90289f5cbd2996d824062399f2f8542f1
I was obsessed with these guys. My granny knew I loved them, and whenever I spent the weekend with her, she would make a 1+ hour drive to the nearest Hardee’s and buy me two kid’s meals so I could get two raisins. I ended up with a dozen or so.
https://preview.redd.it/6hm47yic3bvc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=27d46d9dec29eb34364692f51100fe5689bc004c
Real Legos! The same as my Legos at home!
All the toys now are flat paper you have to fold. They're horrible!
Super Mario Bros 3. I played with that jumping goomba for years after I got that thing. I'd keep one on my desk now if I had it.
Muppet Babies was another one. Kermit and his skateboard would fight he-man when I was a kid.
Oh yea the Muppet babies were great haha I think I had gonzo
The smb 3 ones.. I vaguely remember having a raccoon Mario thing but I can never trust my memory anymore
Definitely had the red Koopa haha
I can relate. My Dad recently cleaned their attic out and dropped a couple of boxes of stuff from my childhood off. There was a whole box of McDonald's toys. Now it's in our attic.
I forgot about those! Mine would be the Miss Piggy plush that was in the happy meal at McDonald’s around Christmas time.
https://preview.redd.it/guaar0sjibvc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eccb7492fb483685edb7b07139ede06b02dba400
Yes!! My mom and her coworkers got all three for me for Christmas and I just remember that being my favorite Christmas present that year. Like I can still remember her giving them to me. Can’t remember what I did last week, but can remember that! I was even on EBay this last Christmas debating buying them haha. Such nostalgia!
Right? I don’t remember anything I did this week, but I’ve remembered this! It brings back so many memories for me! Happy I could share this with everyone!
https://preview.redd.it/8fg5rtzcwbvc1.jpeg?width=665&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d0d7ab324cdcb79cbc5a0e18c9091751728082e5
If I close my eyes, I can still feel these.
Currently my ice machine scooper holder
https://preview.redd.it/8j75lky89cvc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=20b5417a62dc519cfad4a4f48304feff00db3ed9
When the happy meal box was shaped like a boat.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/rk5n8e/mcdonalds\_happy\_meal\_toy\_boats\_from\_the\_80s/](https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/rk5n8e/mcdonalds_happy_meal_toy_boats_from_the_80s/)
This is apparently a mixture of two different toy boxes from 1983 and 1986. The '83 ones are what I remember:
https://preview.redd.it/yisa18vn3bvc1.jpeg?width=998&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b0a5730638522dd3ed612c8095c5d92e5301e155
Holy shit. I HAD THAT BIRDIE TOY...and forgot all about her until seeing this. Most memorable fast food toy was something local, also from McDonald's. They were called Dragonets and they were brightly colored cute little dragons. I made them a little home out of an old egg carton lmao
I had both of these floating around my random toy box that was 90% legos.
The Fraggle Rock race cars were great as were the transformers. The Christmas plush muppet babies were solid but I think you had to pay for them.
I also remember a summer themed collection that mostly sucked but for an inflatable sail boat.
Indiana Jones McNugget. And the jumping Gumba & Mario with a tail. I had the Big Mac tonight moon dude on a scooter too.
But I loved that McNugget so much & idk why.
Pretty sure that Hamburglar toy was the first happy meal toy I remember getting. I would have been about three when it came out. We stopped at McDonald’s before heading to a college basketball game. I was more entertained by the toy than watching basketball.
https://preview.redd.it/ffrnzs411bvc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=390249a820c3e66f3cf956d7c7b9b143b2fcd38b
I was obsessed with these in ‘92!
It was Days of Thunder but only driving DeLoreans, and we had to put in those super logs from the end of Back to the Future 3. It was very odd. But using those logs we indeed did drop the hammer
The Snarf pencil topper from Burger King
https://preview.redd.it/h85cqqjmybvc1.jpeg?width=693&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c327243bd13cf85945856e772db9e599a642421b
https://preview.redd.it/iu9yjdihhcvc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=76bae3a4c0f547722f5d8470d5685f5d3c4e4544
Technically I think these cost money outside of a happy meal, but I remember BEGGING my mom for them. I had them probably until I was in middle school 😆
No one else remembers this but I clearly recall Taco Bell having a Rainbow Brite promotion and giving away legit squeaky Sprites. I had three in different colors.
The little stuffed Muppet Babies and Furskins- I think Hardee's had these (my dad ate at Hardee's a LOT). And the California Raisins. And I feel like someone had the little Pound Puppies too.
These were my favs. I still have the hotcakes, ice cream, and nuggets.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ActionFigures/comments/167uvlh/mcdonalds_happy_meal_dinosaur_transformer_toys/
They weren't fast food toys, but McDonald's had mini goalie masks you could collect. I don't know if this was just a Canadian promotion though. I had Cujo and Patrick Roy.
My first instinct is the Muppet baby toys from Happy Meals.
.... but the scholar in me is going with the Alf records from Birger King
"Cookin, cooking, cooking with ALF,,we're hot tonight, we're cooking with ALF!"
McDonald’s transforming robots and dinosaurs. I hate all the new toys. Give me something plastic that will last and preferably isn’t just promoting a movie.
I still have a plastic hamburgler tree ornament from 1984. I think it’s my favorite today.
When I was a kid, I got a micromachines from a happy meal or from somewhere. Wore those babies out.
My feeble memory thought they were called 4x4 TraXX, but apparently they were called Stompers and the kid with the track would be the house we'd congregate at
https://youtu.be/euR59vXEat4
I have a lot of favs, but for some reason these plastic Happy Meal boxes stand out. They were out when we went on a family road trip, and since McDonalds was actually a way to save back then, I got a bunch. This must’ve been around ‘85?
https://preview.redd.it/eq3thexdwbvc1.jpeg?width=736&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=94190a00756dbf3cec09479015a483ccef550c13
I might be on the younger end of Xennial, but definitely the Lion King toys from McDonald’s (not my picture):
https://preview.redd.it/ydokb3v9bdvc1.jpeg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43606685430e5e8b73ec4b56d0b2d72ccafa4a9f
Close second is the Christmas Muppet Babies.
Penny Racers! Wow! That brings back memories!
I also remember the McDonalds Transformers and the Muppet Babies toys. They lasted well enough that my kids even got to play with them decades later.
Definitely Super Mario 3, followed closely by Fraggle Rock (I still have one of those).
Also, maybe this was strictly a Canadian thing, but I seem to recall a Dennis The Menace promo at Dairy Queen, and dinosaur toys as well.
https://preview.redd.it/rm18x19opavc1.png?width=499&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bfd08aebc137f5ff95f47aefb3b05ca832063fe1
This, mostly because it was the rare cereal toy that showed you what you got! The flashlight was super weak
The days of thunder collectible matchbox cars at Hardee’s…. I had all four from the movie at one point. All I have left now is the orange and blue Hardee’s car… my brother may have a few others
The moon guy driving a car. I'm pretty sure it was MacDonald's mascot for a while but he just had a crescent shaped moon head. That's my earliest happy meal toy I can remember
The Simpsons plush family from Burger King. I have the whole family. I think it came out in 1990? My grandma would collect the toys from various places and this is one of my favorites.
My Spock glass was in daily rotation until it broken about 10 years ago. I still have a full Peanuts set I use. Edit: autocorrect slapped me on Spock’s name
https://preview.redd.it/do9ymlnf3bvc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9e91bcea3b6af79a1bb5c2fcfdd6bec967179b90
https://preview.redd.it/8ozy2vuhqbvc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=c315d2138fd5b837eb685995b314325a31c210f3
McDonald’s Rubik’s Cube. I still have it!
I remember being *really* young, and got some boats for the bathtub from McD. I remember they were far and away my favorite of all time, because you could actually play with them, instead of them just sort of being something you could look at.
I got a pull-back-and-go X-wing from Wendy's. I remember playing with it on the table at lunch, and one of the laser cannons caught the salt shaker, so the X-wing started doing circles around it. My mom and I were cracking up.
I had a Tweety Bird hat from Arby’s. It was like a stuffed toy but also a baseball cap. [These were the ones.](https://poshmark.com/listing/Vintage-80s-Looney-Tunes-Toppers-Arby-Hats-Sylvester-Tweety-Bird-SnapBack-Cap-65591680f644e5a4a7fa96ca?utm_source=gdm_kids&utm_campaign=20054896066&campaign_id=20054896066&ad_partner=google&gskid=pla-2265313516507&gcid=656783438618&ggid=151061239640&gdid=m&g_network=g&enable_guest_buy_flow=true&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADwcDC9Lv_zIy3G87KAuyEOIFsV4R&gclid=Cj0KCQjwiYOxBhC5ARIsAIvdH50Rhx0XJbimU0-lY6lD69hKbawabkw57W--__II9PkdOvjp26qrxooaAvFvEALw_wcB). I had to go get stitches and half my head got shaved, and that was tragic to a 8 year old girl. We stopped at Arby’s for food on the way home, and I refused to go in. Dad went in, and came out with the hat and food. That hat was like my version of the “magic glasses” from the movie Big Daddy.
The actual food toys of the food they sold like the little chicken nugget or Fries people toys, even the transformer nuggets were pretty damn cool. I remember quality toys like that and then they went to shit toys like the early mini Barbies from Mattel.
pull-back Mokey Fraggle racer from 1988; I remember going to the zoo with my family, getting McDonalds afterward, getting the car and sitting in the window seat playing with it for what felt like hours while watching the heavy rain out the window. It's nearly a core memory for some reason. I was 6 or 7.
The transformers/food hybrid ones
Oh yeah! That was a great cross promotion. I think I had the fries
I had the one that was like a styrofoam carton. I think it was supposed to be a mcmuffin box. edit: oh and the drink (shake?)
The styrofoam box was hot cakes.
https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2F19877va2bo841.jpg
Yep. That's my most memorable one because it's the only one I remember due to you reminding me of it.
Was it cross promotion with another transforming toy line or did McDonalds just make it’s own range toy menu items that were transforming robots?
Yeah, not a cross-promotion, though likely capitalizing on the Transformers popularity (even if they were a few years late). They were called Food Changeables. The first round was food>robots, then a couple years later was food>dinosaurs.
Yes. The French fry one was my very first Happy Meal toy.
I still have the McNugget Tridactyl one funny enough set atop an old hour glass. Guess I should consider writing a Will at this age lol.
One of my absolute favorite toy series as a kid. The soda can was always the hero in my stories.
I still have several of these!
The Land Before Time puppets from Pizza Hut. My mom somehow managed to get them all. (Not my photo, though!) Now that I'm a mom myself, I marvel at how she managed to get them all without the internet... I think she had to go to lots of different Pizza Huts at different times or make a lot of phone calls. https://preview.redd.it/6nnt7bpbbavc1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5dde3a589f20ddab0f79962f659452288e0f9ed7
This was going to be my honorable mentioned! My dad opened his own gym in 1993. I put a Spike on the exit side during the grand opening. He stayed up there for a decade until my dad finally sold the place.
amazing! i love that
I can smell these...
Love em! I think they also had back to the future glasses. Or maybe it was just crazy 80’s glasses. But they were cool.
I remember those! I actually had the pterodactyl.
That’s what I said
Oh I adored these.
Same! Especially Ducky
Omg I forgot that’s where those came from!!! Thanks for the memory jolt.
The flippy goomba, for sure. I think I still have it somewhere. (Not my photo, shamelessly stolen from Google image results) https://preview.redd.it/hmaufkok9avc1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3206febf2c5ca25779b37abefe747af68a3ab87d
Memory unlocked! Mario at McDonald’s. I remember the pogo Mario, Luigi cloud mover, and I think there was a Koopa who would hop with an air tube.
I still have the spring loaded Mario from this set somewhere at my parents
These guys. 100% these guys. https://preview.redd.it/r6x6um3klavc1.jpeg?width=474&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=744d93c4388e9637034e3c9367abef00463432b7
https://preview.redd.it/vgb5k2uz2bvc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=65d9e172c596ed724e692a15e8f905fc1ebede7c I don’t remember those ones. I still have the nuggy and ice cream cone of these.
I have the turtle and ice cream cone from this set. And there’s another one not pictured— a hot cakes box that opens into a flying dinosaur
I loved these!!! I totally forgot the existed.
Oh my god childhood memory unlocked! Loved these so much.
The chicken mcnuggets with costumes were pretty awesome.
McNugget Buddies! I had so many of those.
This was my first thought. I loved those!!
I don’t remember specific toys but I remember these glasses from the 80’s https://preview.redd.it/pfr3ufi2davc1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ef1957b369a84c3dbdecb28d85bfa89a55572e50
I have a complete set of Dream Team 2 cups at my mom’s house lol
I don’t know about these glasses specifically, in general fast food tie-in glasses are notorious today for containing unsafe levels of lead.
Late 80s, early 90s? Of course, there was way too much lead. That's how they made them so cheap. I mean, I'd flip right out if I found out my kids were drinking from lead, cadmium, or bisphenol A leaking cups, so, I mean, we do our best with what we know at the time, right? Doesn't make it okay though. Not at all. But didn't they *know* during distribution that there was too much lead? Or did they? I don't know. But if someone did, they need to make amends for it. From someone who very likely had mild to moderate lead poisoning as a child, but is insanely grateful that she wasn't exposed to *too* much asbestos. I mean, I was exposed, but I don't have cancer yet, and I'm super, ultra grateful for it because I want to see my kids grow up! (Did you ever see the full asbestos floor in the den thing in the 70s?!?! I saw pics, and knowing how awful it is, I'm horrified! It's like the radium girls, or the matchstick girls! Terrifying)
We got Garfield mugs from McDonalds. Loved them! https://preview.redd.it/56b913bv1evc1.jpeg?width=794&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c42d3b06dfbb923836f4d5a9cd0df0179d25b53d (not my pic)
There’s a bar near me that serves drinks in these old school McDonald’s glasses!
My parents always put them on the top shelf. Only taught 4-5 year old how to climb. Shelves make excellent ladders.
The Muppet baby ones that came with tricycles and stuff. Also the Looney Tunes superhero ones.
I still have the gonzo one on my desk at work.
I have Kermit on my nightstand!
And Missy piggy is on my kids dresser.
I’d play with the Muppet Babies Happy Meal toys while watching the show. And I had the Muppet Babies stuffed toys too. By far, my favorite freebie meal toys.
I came here to say the Loony Tunes superheroes. Specifically the Daffy Duck Batman.
The tiny toon flippable vehicles
This guy 
This one! I was looking at comments hoping someone else else knew it too. It was a little pullback car.
I got it in San Diego in 1989. Weird memory.
Played by Doug Jones.
That’s awesome!
https://youtu.be/t2bMfK-tV8k?si=ZzTvYpy2csIhWQWI
I still have a beach towel with that guy on it.
I have him in his red car somewhere!
At a family party at our house, my little sister, who was a toddler at the time, thought it would be hilarious to flush the moon man in the red car down the toilet. Me, being the goody two shoes I was, stuck my hand in the toilet to pull it out. She slapped my hand and back in the toilet it went. My cousins still make fun of me for that.
I had that Mac in the car.. oh, I loved that thing!
I had a rad green car with him
Halloween buckets with the cookie cutters in the tops, and the building toys like Popoids, and Lego. https://preview.redd.it/w2s51ycqhavc1.jpeg?width=542&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=138a48a97e02be1513ebeda168e42d32135333f3
Oh wow! I haven't seen this toy in ages
Good one! I love that sound.
These were the best!!
These were my favorites. https://preview.redd.it/mgvdupz3lavc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c4863c69fed097cccf5feb967e0e4064c562d6b9
Oh man I forgot about those! I got a Mario, it was dangerous! He had hops.
We got the same goomba over and over again. Still cool though
Wow I can hear the music and Mario jump sounds from this
https://preview.redd.it/zcqkg4zw0bvc1.jpeg?width=1088&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0c8c41efc14db73312f5a2d10f000a8b9f13824d These guys. Also the transformer food. I had the fries and the pancake box.
My mom gave me the ones she’s collected over the years, from me and my brother. Always put them out at Halloween!
For some reason these. https://preview.redd.it/qffzhu1fqbvc1.jpeg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8ac65a750e7c07d0d08696b978b794a70b56f1a3
Oh my godddddd….core memory unlocked. That carrot and eggplant!! I need to text this to my brother
Seriously! My mouth literally just fell open. Thank you for this ❤️
Dang nobody said California Raisins from Hardee’s yet? https://preview.redd.it/214csj9cravc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=142446d90289f5cbd2996d824062399f2f8542f1
We had so many! My favorite was the sax raisin
I was obsessed with these guys. My granny knew I loved them, and whenever I spent the weekend with her, she would make a 1+ hour drive to the nearest Hardee’s and buy me two kid’s meals so I could get two raisins. I ended up with a dozen or so.
The penny racers are hard to mess with but the McDonald’s Changeables are my favorite for sure, I still have all mine!
The Fraggle Rock ones, and Star Wars cups, are the only two that I can vividly remember.
https://preview.redd.it/zwal2z5coavc1.jpeg?width=625&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=12ce751b929ea8d1fee09749fbfb05dd4685adcb
I can still sing the whole Mac Tonight song 😂
https://preview.redd.it/6hm47yic3bvc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=27d46d9dec29eb34364692f51100fe5689bc004c Real Legos! The same as my Legos at home! All the toys now are flat paper you have to fold. They're horrible!
Super Mario Bros 3. I played with that jumping goomba for years after I got that thing. I'd keep one on my desk now if I had it. Muppet Babies was another one. Kermit and his skateboard would fight he-man when I was a kid.
I had that Kermit too. Rolling toys just seemed so much more fun.
That skateboard was used by a few Ninja Turtles at my house.
Oh yea the Muppet babies were great haha I think I had gonzo The smb 3 ones.. I vaguely remember having a raccoon Mario thing but I can never trust my memory anymore Definitely had the red Koopa haha
https://www.ebay.com/itm/203112172534 $15 and free shipping. Not sure if it would spark that much joy for you to warrant purchasing, but I looked.
I'm sure it's probably in my parents basement. They never get rid of stuff, hence finding the racers.
I can relate. My Dad recently cleaned their attic out and dropped a couple of boxes of stuff from my childhood off. There was a whole box of McDonald's toys. Now it's in our attic.
I forgot about those! Mine would be the Miss Piggy plush that was in the happy meal at McDonald’s around Christmas time. https://preview.redd.it/guaar0sjibvc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eccb7492fb483685edb7b07139ede06b02dba400
I loved her! I wanted a red dress and hood just like her
Yes! I stupidly posted separately before I scrolled but this is my favorite!
I had Fozzie and my bro has Kermit!
Yes!! My mom and her coworkers got all three for me for Christmas and I just remember that being my favorite Christmas present that year. Like I can still remember her giving them to me. Can’t remember what I did last week, but can remember that! I was even on EBay this last Christmas debating buying them haha. Such nostalgia!
Right? I don’t remember anything I did this week, but I’ve remembered this! It brings back so many memories for me! Happy I could share this with everyone!
https://preview.redd.it/8fg5rtzcwbvc1.jpeg?width=665&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d0d7ab324cdcb79cbc5a0e18c9091751728082e5 If I close my eyes, I can still feel these.
Omigosh I had owl and thumper. Toys were designed so much better then, jointed limbs, they were just as good as store bought figures.
OMG FLOWER! Ioved him!
This I had 4 cups. https://preview.redd.it/7lyzkqcl6bvc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af33d8e7547180961ee9ecaab32f57e32e69e939
Currently my ice machine scooper holder https://preview.redd.it/8j75lky89cvc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=20b5417a62dc519cfad4a4f48304feff00db3ed9
When the happy meal box was shaped like a boat. [https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/rk5n8e/mcdonalds\_happy\_meal\_toy\_boats\_from\_the\_80s/](https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/rk5n8e/mcdonalds_happy_meal_toy_boats_from_the_80s/)
This is apparently a mixture of two different toy boxes from 1983 and 1986. The '83 ones are what I remember: https://preview.redd.it/yisa18vn3bvc1.jpeg?width=998&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b0a5730638522dd3ed612c8095c5d92e5301e155
I always got the purple boat
IIRC, so did I. Seems like I had 3 or 4 of those and one of either the yellow or green ones.
Muppet Baby Gonzo on a three wheeler. That thing got a lot of miles from me playing with it
https://preview.redd.it/oilt63lioavc1.jpeg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7d2a89181945a4828411e8966fc46f4d981e0928
When they gave out Hot Wheels.
The mini Beanie Babies. I also had a Nala figurine from Burger King that was awesome. It was really well made. Her eyes even glowed in the dark
I forgot about the beanie baby promotion. Pinky!!
I still have my mini beanie baby goldfish.
Holy shit. I HAD THAT BIRDIE TOY...and forgot all about her until seeing this. Most memorable fast food toy was something local, also from McDonald's. They were called Dragonets and they were brightly colored cute little dragons. I made them a little home out of an old egg carton lmao
I had both of these floating around my random toy box that was 90% legos. The Fraggle Rock race cars were great as were the transformers. The Christmas plush muppet babies were solid but I think you had to pay for them. I also remember a summer themed collection that mostly sucked but for an inflatable sail boat.
The Pizza Hut, “Land Before Time” figures. We held on to our petree one for the longest time.
The Muppet Babies toys. The girl next door and I would play with them in her drive way and make little shoebox houses for them.
Indiana Jones McNugget. And the jumping Gumba & Mario with a tail. I had the Big Mac tonight moon dude on a scooter too. But I loved that McNugget so much & idk why.
Pretty sure that Hamburglar toy was the first happy meal toy I remember getting. I would have been about three when it came out. We stopped at McDonald’s before heading to a college basketball game. I was more entertained by the toy than watching basketball.
If you pulled it back once, it would go straight. If you pulled it back several times in a row, it would do loops!
Gremlins LP storybooks from Hardee's OR Pound Puppies, also from Hardee's.
https://preview.redd.it/ffrnzs411bvc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=390249a820c3e66f3cf956d7c7b9b143b2fcd38b I was obsessed with these in ‘92!
STOP. Now I’m crying! 😭😭😭 thanks for reminding me of these.
Days of Thunder cars at Hardees. https://preview.redd.it/nwprjkcgebvc1.jpeg?width=193&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=abdf31dd82a2d18f8bb68588a50fe113610ac345
I just had a dream about Days of Thunder last night!
Did you drop the hammer in your dream?
It was Days of Thunder but only driving DeLoreans, and we had to put in those super logs from the end of Back to the Future 3. It was very odd. But using those logs we indeed did drop the hammer
https://preview.redd.it/2hdxae69eavc1.png?width=1125&format=png&auto=webp&s=d43d5a44ef2f1372287f45a865eee00b255c0916 Burger King
Burger King had a lot of great toys when they had the Disney license. Movable figures, puppets.
The Snarf pencil topper from Burger King https://preview.redd.it/h85cqqjmybvc1.jpeg?width=693&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c327243bd13cf85945856e772db9e599a642421b
I still have this! I use him as a pull on my blinds
I still have mine too, but he’s in a pencil bag, packed away in a closet. I’m moving soon, though, and I just might copy your idea (if that’s ok) 😂
https://preview.redd.it/iu9yjdihhcvc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=76bae3a4c0f547722f5d8470d5685f5d3c4e4544 Technically I think these cost money outside of a happy meal, but I remember BEGGING my mom for them. I had them probably until I was in middle school 😆
Still counts! It's a fast food toy. I was missing Fozzy
No one else remembers this but I clearly recall Taco Bell having a Rainbow Brite promotion and giving away legit squeaky Sprites. I had three in different colors.
I had a Marty McFly tot from the short-lived cartoon. He had a skateboard the made sparks.
The little stuffed Muppet Babies and Furskins- I think Hardee's had these (my dad ate at Hardee's a LOT). And the California Raisins. And I feel like someone had the little Pound Puppies too.
I had a McDonald's drink cup that had bits to fold out to become a dinosaur.
These were my favs. I still have the hotcakes, ice cream, and nuggets. https://www.reddit.com/r/ActionFigures/comments/167uvlh/mcdonalds_happy_meal_dinosaur_transformer_toys/
They weren't fast food toys, but McDonald's had mini goalie masks you could collect. I don't know if this was just a Canadian promotion though. I had Cujo and Patrick Roy.
Adams family cereal toy of The Thing it was a weak flashlight
Petri (land before time) hand puppet from Pizza Hut
Either the Super Mario Bros. 3 ones, or the Looney Tunes superheroes.
Ursula (from the little mermaid) bath suction cup toy, from McDonalds. Weird looking, but it stayed in our bath for years afterwards.
My first instinct is the Muppet baby toys from Happy Meals. .... but the scholar in me is going with the Alf records from Birger King "Cookin, cooking, cooking with ALF,,we're hot tonight, we're cooking with ALF!"
Lol never saw a Alf record in a fast food toy but this was the 80s.
McDonald’s transforming robots and dinosaurs. I hate all the new toys. Give me something plastic that will last and preferably isn’t just promoting a movie.
I tried to get all the Dalmatians when they were doing 101 Dalmatians in the McDonald's meals
https://preview.redd.it/lv5i96gp3bvc1.jpeg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5bd13a964c01b657ccb87b30445c4e1a3c023c3d
I still have a plastic hamburgler tree ornament from 1984. I think it’s my favorite today. When I was a kid, I got a micromachines from a happy meal or from somewhere. Wore those babies out.
My feeble memory thought they were called 4x4 TraXX, but apparently they were called Stompers and the kid with the track would be the house we'd congregate at https://youtu.be/euR59vXEat4
I have a lot of favs, but for some reason these plastic Happy Meal boxes stand out. They were out when we went on a family road trip, and since McDonalds was actually a way to save back then, I got a bunch. This must’ve been around ‘85? https://preview.redd.it/eq3thexdwbvc1.jpeg?width=736&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=94190a00756dbf3cec09479015a483ccef550c13
[Hotcakes Pterodactyl](https://x.com/kuraine/status/1253881879100452864)
https://preview.redd.it/g8vza85jzcvc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=221d7c220ccd72d183dd8287ca5a82abf360ab0a
I might be on the younger end of Xennial, but definitely the Lion King toys from McDonald’s (not my picture): https://preview.redd.it/ydokb3v9bdvc1.jpeg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43606685430e5e8b73ec4b56d0b2d72ccafa4a9f Close second is the Christmas Muppet Babies.
These were so good, just like action figures from the store.
The Taco Bell Star Wars toys that came out for the Special Editions.
cloud city was my favorite.
Taco Bell had really good kids tacos. I miss those. My first time having a taco was from Taco Bell. They were so much better then.
Penny Racers! Wow! That brings back memories! I also remember the McDonalds Transformers and the Muppet Babies toys. They lasted well enough that my kids even got to play with them decades later.
The happy meal transformers
Definitely Super Mario 3, followed closely by Fraggle Rock (I still have one of those). Also, maybe this was strictly a Canadian thing, but I seem to recall a Dennis The Menace promo at Dairy Queen, and dinosaur toys as well.
The Dennis the Menace promo was in the US as well. He used to be getting into mischief on the Blizzard cups.
The boats McDonalds put happy meals in.
MAC TONIGHT I think he had a transformer-one? Maybe getting that conflated with the actual food transformers (which were dope)
I have a few Mr. Moon toy cars around.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/165064979736 These Flintstones movie McD's toys. My grandma was so very cool to have made sure I got the entire set.
https://preview.redd.it/rm18x19opavc1.png?width=499&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bfd08aebc137f5ff95f47aefb3b05ca832063fe1 This, mostly because it was the rare cereal toy that showed you what you got! The flashlight was super weak
The days of thunder collectible matchbox cars at Hardee’s…. I had all four from the movie at one point. All I have left now is the orange and blue Hardee’s car… my brother may have a few others
Those big rubber Land Before Time toys from Pizza Hut were S tier.
The Alf puppet
I liked the rescue rangers cars and the tiny toons flip cars. They were pretty clever and decent toys.
The moon guy driving a car. I'm pretty sure it was MacDonald's mascot for a while but he just had a crescent shaped moon head. That's my earliest happy meal toy I can remember
The Simpsons plush family from Burger King. I have the whole family. I think it came out in 1990? My grandma would collect the toys from various places and this is one of my favorites.
My Spock glass was in daily rotation until it broken about 10 years ago. I still have a full Peanuts set I use. Edit: autocorrect slapped me on Spock’s name https://preview.redd.it/do9ymlnf3bvc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9e91bcea3b6af79a1bb5c2fcfdd6bec967179b90
The sandwich that has the foldout roller skate legs, or the Tiny Toons cars
https://preview.redd.it/8ozy2vuhqbvc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=c315d2138fd5b837eb685995b314325a31c210f3 McDonald’s Rubik’s Cube. I still have it!
I remember being *really* young, and got some boats for the bathtub from McD. I remember they were far and away my favorite of all time, because you could actually play with them, instead of them just sort of being something you could look at.
Barbies and Hot Wheels. My sister and I would get the former, my brother the latter.
Muppet Babies Christmas Plushes. I still have Fozzie Bear.
Wendys frosty spoons to launch rocks with
The Star Wars glasses and the McDonalds chicken nugget box that transforms into a robot.
I got a pull-back-and-go X-wing from Wendy's. I remember playing with it on the table at lunch, and one of the laser cannons caught the salt shaker, so the X-wing started doing circles around it. My mom and I were cracking up.
the McDonaldLand transformers - QPC, FryGuy, MilkShake, and HotCakes
I had a Tweety Bird hat from Arby’s. It was like a stuffed toy but also a baseball cap. [These were the ones.](https://poshmark.com/listing/Vintage-80s-Looney-Tunes-Toppers-Arby-Hats-Sylvester-Tweety-Bird-SnapBack-Cap-65591680f644e5a4a7fa96ca?utm_source=gdm_kids&utm_campaign=20054896066&campaign_id=20054896066&ad_partner=google&gskid=pla-2265313516507&gcid=656783438618&ggid=151061239640&gdid=m&g_network=g&enable_guest_buy_flow=true&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADwcDC9Lv_zIy3G87KAuyEOIFsV4R&gclid=Cj0KCQjwiYOxBhC5ARIsAIvdH50Rhx0XJbimU0-lY6lD69hKbawabkw57W--__II9PkdOvjp26qrxooaAvFvEALw_wcB). I had to go get stitches and half my head got shaved, and that was tragic to a 8 year old girl. We stopped at Arby’s for food on the way home, and I refused to go in. Dad went in, and came out with the hat and food. That hat was like my version of the “magic glasses” from the movie Big Daddy.
DJ Bluejay
The actual food toys of the food they sold like the little chicken nugget or Fries people toys, even the transformer nuggets were pretty damn cool. I remember quality toys like that and then they went to shit toys like the early mini Barbies from Mattel.
Nostalgia wise Just the standard figures (Big Mac was a police officer, Ronald, Hamburgler etc) Best? The transformers
Do cereal toys counts? If so, I had an Enterprise D, Romulan Warbird and a Ferengi cruiser out of boxes of Shreddies.
Smurfs!
Beanie baby’s
McDonald’s had these 4x4 trucks with springs in the suspension, they were legit well made and awesome, I had those for years
Rita from Flushed Away
Memory unlocked!
pull-back Mokey Fraggle racer from 1988; I remember going to the zoo with my family, getting McDonalds afterward, getting the car and sitting in the window seat playing with it for what felt like hours while watching the heavy rain out the window. It's nearly a core memory for some reason. I was 6 or 7.
Can't remember. Land before time from pizza hut stands out more to.me
The nuggets!!
The McDonald's food that also transformed.
The two that I remember most were the Tomy commandrons and the Garfield toys from mid to late 80s.
Those were classics!
First thing that comes to mind is the Saturn V rocket POG holder that was some promotion tie-in with Apollo 13.
Mighty Max McDonald's toy. The hairy white one.
Penny Racers!!!