Happy Days Are Here Again: McDonalds To Offer Adult Happy Meals

Maybe you remember your collection of small molded plastic cartoon characters, like Garfield the cat or Miss Piggy.

Maybe it was the small plastic “pull back” cars that captured your imagination as you zoomed them across the kitchen table or floor.

Or maybe it was the plastic jack o’ lanterns designed to carry your trick or treat loot after the hamburger inside was long gone.

Depending on your age and that of your children, at least one of these is likely to conjure up happy memories of a McDonalds “Happy Meal,” a fast food marketing gimmick that actually lived up to its name: a meal that made kids happy.

Sure, the slightly salty fries slathered in ketchup were good, but beyond that, you probably didn’t care if the brightly colored paper carrier box  contained a burger or chicken nuggets, as long as it did contain the heavily advertised toy.

If the “adult you” doubts the collectible appeal of those toys, just have a look at Ebay or Etsy. Seeing them pictured on the screen, your inner child will recapture those warm childhood yearnings.

But now McDonalds is about to do even better.

The fast food chain has announced that beginning today, Oct. 1,  it will begin offering a Happy Meal – for adults-- declaring on their Facebook page, “One day you ordered a Happy Meal for the last time and you didn’t even know it.”

Apparently the meals will reflect a collaboration with Cactus Plant Flea Market fashion streetwear, and will be called the Cactus Plant Flea Market Meal Box. Most importantly, each meal will include a classic McDonald’s character from among Grimace, the Hamburglar, Birdie, or the newly added Cactus Buddy. "We're 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," says Tariq Hassan, McDonald's USA Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer.

Hopefully, our local McDonalds will be adequately stocked to meet the demand from area adults seeking to rekindle the childlike joy of getting a Happy Meal. But keep in mind that this might be your last Happy Meal because the offer disappears Oct. 30.

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