Latest news with #HappyMeal
Miami Herald
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
A chain that isn't McDonald's is selling an ‘unhappy meal'
Debuting in June 1979, the Happy Meal is now among the most iconic items on the McDonald's (MCD) menu. The red box with handles mirroring the Golden Arches that gives the proud owner a toy or a book alongside a child's-size burger and fries has now seeped into childhood memories of generations of Americans as well as citizens of countless other countries. According to McDonald's own statistics, the fast-food chain sells over one billion Happy Meals in an average year which amounts to over 2.7 million a day in the more than 100 countries that have at least one location of the chain. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter While most fast-food chains have their own version of the children's meal, one is choosing to lean into the reverse name to market a very different kind of offering: the Wendy's (WEN) Meal of Misfortune will be launched on August 4 to mark the second season of the Netflix (NFLX) show "Wednesday" on Aug. 6. The "unhappy meal" is meant to feature exactly the kinds of foods that the sardonic and macabre character initially created by cartoonist Charles Addams would enjoy eating: "Rest in 10-Piece" Nuggets, "Cursed & Crispy" Fries and four "Inferno" sauces to dip it all in alongside a cold "Raven's Blood" Frosty. Related: McDonald's brings back experimental menu item 13 years later The swirl of cherry syrup against the otherwise white vanilla ice cream is meant to mimic the kind of blood that Addams would find beautifully enchanting. The dips, dubbed You Can't Hyde, This Will Sting, Grave Mistake or Nowhere to Woe, feature different mystery flavors (one may be burn-your-mouth spicy while another may be confusingly sweet) and are randomly assigned with each meal sold. "Wendy's and Wednesdayare both cultural icons famous for challenging convention with wit and a bit of sass," Wendy's Chief Marketing Officer Lindsay Radkoski said in a statement. "This isn't a typical collaboration, because not just any brand could scheme up a Meal of Misfortune with Wednesday Addams. But for a brand that's proudly customer-obsessed and unapologetically bold, it was a match made in dark, dry-witted heaven." All the packaging also celebrates the show and Wednesday Addams' signature look: the sharp white collar on the brown paper bag and the 'W' featured in the Wendy's logo drawn with spooky edges for any packaging that is used for those meals. The meal will be available for purchase on Aug. 4 for a few weeks in a partnership with Netflix and the show. Along with the mainland U.S., the "Meal of Misfortune" will be available in Puerto Rico, Guam, Canada and the Bahamas both in physical restaurants and on the Wendy's app. More Food News: McDonald's menu finally brings back most-wanted fan favoritePopular fast-food burger chain to open first store in new marketWalmart makes deal to open popular food chain in stores With its dark underpinnings, the meal also helps set an early tone for Halloween. To promote it, Wendy's also snuck in a little quote from Wednesday Addams herself. "Normally I'd be against this kind of capitalistic corporate synergy," Nevermore Academy student Wednesday Addams said of the meal. "But when the fast-food-slinging pigtailed provocateur said I could do whatever I wanted to her customers, I couldn't resist." Related: Taco Bell to add three popular desserts to permanent menu The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
McDonald's Snack Wrap causes alarming shortage
The McDonald's Snack Wrap is finally back after years of fans begging the fast-food chain to relaunch the beloved menu item. However, despite being the company's most anticipated return, the hype led to some alarming issues it hadn't foreseen. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter The McDonald's Snack Wrap debuted nationwide in 2006 and quickly became a fan favorite. However, it was discontinued in 2016, since it was time-consuming to prepare and placed a financial burden on the fast-food chain. Related: McDonald's menu finally brings back most-wanted fan favorite Due to consumer demand, McDonald's returned the Snack Wrap to select locations across the U.S. for a limited time in 2020, but it was eventually removed from all menus by the end of the year. Still, customers remained vocal. After much fan pleading, the company announced it would relaunch the menu item, officially bringing it back to all locations nationwide on July 10. Following the reintroduction of its infamous Snack Wrap, McDonald's (MCD) suffered a lettuce shortage, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal. To quickly address the issue while working on a long-term solution, the fast-food giant instructed the affected franchisees to prioritize lettuce in the Snack Wrap and reduce its usage in other menu items, like the McChicken, that contain the ingredient. More Food News: Papa Johns announces wild new menu deal to win back customersPopular Mexican restaurant chain expands to new marketPopular chicken chain is begging customers to give it another chance However, McDonald's knew some customers would not be okay with a lettuce-less McChicken, so if they were unsatisfied, employees were advised to suggest McNuggets or a McDouble instead. The lettuce shortage was brief and has now been solved, but there's more to this panic. Although the temporary lettuce shortage might have annoyed customers, McDonald's was probably jumping for joy. Like most food companies, McDonald's calculates the supplies needed at each location based on demand forecasting and inventory management to minimize food waste. Ahead of the Snack Wrap relaunch, McDonald's projected the necessary quantities of each ingredient to ensure a smooth rollout, most likely using historical sales data from previous years. Related: McDonald's menu brings back wildly popular Happy Meal promotion So, although it may sound contradictory, the resulting shortage is actually a positive indicator that the Snack Wrap investment is exceeding expectations and resonating with consumers more than it did when initially launched. This is a promising sign for McDonald's U.S. business, which has been struggling with tumultuous slowdowns and concerning declines. The company's same-store sales fell 3.6% during the first quarter of 2025, marking the biggest drop in nearly five years. A significant contributor behind these troublesome numbers was a decline in guest traffic, but with the return of the Snack Wrap, McDonald's may turn its business around faster than anticipated. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Miami Herald
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
McDonald's brings back a fan-favorite Happy Meal collaboration
As adults, we now appreciate the value of food, but as kids, if we could've ordered a McDonald's Happy Meal toy and had the McNuggets thrown in as a courtesy, we absolutely would have. McDonald's is one of the most recognizable fast-food chains worldwide. This might be because for decades, it has maintained its iconic golden arches, red and yellow branding, "I'm Lovin' It" tag line, and beloved Happy Meal. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter The company has strategically used customers' nostalgic association with its brand to build a loyal fan base and become the fast-food giant it is today. Related: McDonald's menu adds new Happy Meal fans will love To bank on this emotional connection, McDonald's has brought back classic Happy Meal toys, including its 40th Happy Meal anniversary release in Canada in 2019, and the recent launch of "Lil McDonald's" Happy Meals this month. Image source: Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images In January, McDonald's (MCD) partnered with Pokémon to launch a nationwide collaboration, releasing a new Happy Meal and creating an immersive PokéStops experience. Each Happy Meal featured a Dragon-type Pokémon design and came with a Pokémon Trading Card Game pack containing four out of 15 available cards, a Pokémon poster, and a sticker sheet. More Food News: This popular fast-food burger chain just turned into a hot dog standPopular chicken chain is begging customers to give it another chanceChick-fil-A offers free food to game-playing fans To encourage customers to download its app and continue its digital integration within Happy Meals, McDonald's also created a free Pokémon Trading Card Game. This was a unique partnership for the fast-food giant because Pokémon Trading Cards are among the most valuable and highly desired collectible items, with some worth up to millions of dollars per card. Pokémon is a Japanese world-renowned media franchise that began in 1996. It has developed an enormous fan base by creating multiple video games, animated series, films, products, and trading card games. McDonald's is once again teaming up with Pokémon for a limited-time partnership, but this time, it comes with multiple layers and will only be released in Japan. Because Pokémon has a fan base of all ages, McDonald's is introducing a 15-piece Chicken McNuggets box to cater to adult audiences. The packaging will feature three new designs, showcasing Pikachu and other beloved characters from the franchise. The Pokémon 15-piece Chicken McNuggets box will be available from July 23 to September 2. No Pokémon collaboration would be complete without the Happy Meal, which continues to be the primary appeal to younger audiences. Starting August 8, each Happy Meal will come with a Pikachu or Charmander toy. Related: McDonald's unveils new partnership with nostalgic childhood franchise True Pokémon fans know the most anticipated part of this partnership is the return of Pokémon Trading Cards. That's why each Happy Meal purchase will receive an exclusive Pikachu card, with additional cards randomly distributed. However, the Pokémon Trading Cards will only be available from August 9 to 11. Although the company hasn't explicitly revealed why it has made the trading cards available for such a short window, this unexpected decision might be an effort to prevent resales from getting out of hand, since the cards from previous partnerships were listed on eBay and other sites for hundreds of dollars. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Express Tribune
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Exclusive Pikachu card featured in McDonald's Japan Happy Meals in limited-time Pokémon promotion
McDonald's Japan has announced the return of Pokemon Happy Meals, featuring an exclusive Pikachu promo card alongside collectible reprints from the Pokemon Trading Card Game. The promotion will run for a limited period from August 9 to August 11 2025. The highlight of this release is a new Pikachu promo card, which shows the Electric-type Pokemon about to eat a burger. This artwork is exclusive to the McDonald's promotion and will not be available through other releases. Each Happy Meal will include this Pikachu card and one additional promo card at random, with options including Sprigatito, Fuecoco, Quaxly, Ralts, or Riolu. While Pikachu features new artwork, the other cards in the set are reprints from earlier releases. Each card carries the McDonald's logo on the bottom right corner of the artwork, identifying it as part of this limited collaboration and marking it as a collectible item for fans of the franchise. McDonald's Japan has also announced that Pokemon toys will accompany the Happy Meals during this promotion. At the time of writing, it is not confirmed whether this promotion will expand to other regions outside Japan.
Scottish Sun
12-07-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
All the restaurant and pub chains that are cheaper than a McDonald's meal
We offer some alternatives for punters looking to save cash the next time they dine out HAPPY MEAL All the restaurant and pub chains that are cheaper than a McDonald's meal Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE price of McDonald's has shot up in recent years, with punters now forking out nearly £10 for a large Big Mac Meal. Gone are the days when fans of the classic meal could pay for it with the spare change in their pocket. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 The price of a Big Mac has shot up in recent years. Credit: Ian Whittaker In 2022, the meal cost a mere £6.29, including fries and a drink. Today, just a single Big Mac will set you back £5.89 in London, and if you want to make it a large meal expect to hand over £9.19. Of course, McDonald's prices across the UK vary, with fast-food fans in Leeds paying £8.79 for the same exact large meal. With money tight, many punters are saying adios to the Happy Meal maker and looking for cheaper alternatives. Over the past few weeks, hangry customers have taken to X, formerly Twitter, to complain, with some describing it as "extortionate". While another said: "I just don't go anymore. For the same price as a Maccies I can go to Spoons and get a full meal with a pint." And to make matters worse, favourites such as Happy Meals, fries, and wraps have seen price increases of up to 15% in just a few months. A McDonald's spokesperson previously told The Sun: "We refuse to compromise on the quality of our ingredients – and that means when these ingredients cost more, we have to review our prices. "Raising some prices means we are able to stand by our quality commitments, like our beef patties being made from 100% British and Irish beef or our Chicken McNuggets being made from 100% chicken breast." But if you are keen to save a few quid the next time you are treating yourself, why not try these alternatives. I went to the UK's biggest Wetherspoons with rooftop bar overlooking the beach WETHERSPOONS - £7.49 Spoons is known for its bargain prices and some menu items are cheaper than Maccies. Its American Burger, which comes with a beef patty, cheese, chips and a drink, costs just £7.49. That's £1.70 cheaper than a large Big Mac. Better yet, if you want to enjoy your meal with an alcoholic beverage, it still costs less than a meal at Maccies. Wetherspoons asks punters for an extra £1.53 to add a tipple to their meal, which comes in at £9.02. And Spoons has also hiked prices for customers with the cost of some of its food items by 30p earlier this year. SIZZLING PUBS - £8.79 This family-friendly chain sells a burger and chips at a bargain price. Punters can enjoy "The Old Faithful" Beef burger for £8.79 at its branch in New Farnely in Leeds. That is on par with what some customers pay for a Big Mac meal and 44p cheaper than a London Maccies. But it is worth noting that prices can vary from branch to branch. Its "Two Brothers" branch in Southampton charges £10.79 for the same meal. And unlike Maccie's, this offer does not come with a drink so you will need to fork out extra for that. You can find your nearest branch by visiting ASDA CAFE - £6.75 The popular supermarket charges around £6.75 for a cheeseburger and chips, which trumps Spoons and Maccie's. You can pay 50p to upgrade to large chips, which would take your total to £7.25. Again, you will have to pay extra for a drink as this is not included. Punters can enjoy a warm meal at 205 diners which are located within the supermarkets across the UK. HUNGRY HORSE - £4.64 You will need to follow a hack to get these delicious burgers for less. A cheese burger at the chain costs £9.29 at its Garforth branch, slightly more expensive than a McDonald's meal. But if you head there on a Friday, you can make the most of its "Two for One" offer on burgers. That means if you went there with a friend, you could split the cost the cost of the first burger, paying £4.64 each. This offer is available at all of its 250 locations in the UK. You can find your nearest chain by visiting
