My favorite memory of McDonald’s was walking to my local franchise with my grandma after school, snacking on a shared Filet-O-Fish (my grandma was an Asian immigrant, after all) while sitting in chairs shaped like Grimace and McNugget buddies. This was the ’90s, an era of unabashed PlayPlace use, Beanie Babies obsessions, and kitschy Happy Meal toys. Going to McDonald’s back then and getting a colorful Furbies or Batman cup was the ultimate thrill in my childhood. And it seems McDonald’s is once again trying to tap into this nostalgia by bringing back its beloved collector cups, which were first introduced back in the ’70s.
There are six new cups — made from plastic, not cadmium-tainted glasses — in this forthcoming collection. The designs include odes to Barbie, Hello Kitty, Beanie Babies, the Coca-Cola polar bear, Shrek, and McDonald’s mascots. There are easter eggs and time stamps throughout each cup, referencing vintage Happy Meal toys made in collaboration with these various cartoon entities. To get your hands on a randomly selected collector’s cup, you’ll have to order a collector’s meal, which comes with the option of 10-piece McNuggets or a Big Mac, fries, and a drink.
McDonald’s adult Happy Meals, made in partnership with Cactus Plant Flea Market, were hugely successful last year. And because the brand has seen a downturn in revenue this year, acknowledging the loss of value for consumers, it makes sense that the fast-food chain is doing what we asked almost exactly one year ago, and attempting to win people back by giving them what they really want: a Shrek-themed cup.
Sadly, it’s working on me. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to flounce around on horseback with Barbie, go camping with Hello Kitty, or ride in a Corvette with Bongo, the monkey Beanie Baby from 1995. When these collector meals launch on August 13, you can find me in the drive-thru.
