Latest news with #HappyMeals
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Arbuckle looking to prove himself once again
TORONTO — For a few months, Nick Arbuckle's life looked a bit different. There weren't any cameras or red carpets being rolled out for a Grey Cup Most Outstanding Player, but the quiet-by-nature quarterback didn't need it. Following his championship-winning performance over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last November, Arbuckle — a career journeyman — was suddenly a recognizable face in Canada's largest metropolis. CHRISTOPHER KATSAROV / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Toronto head coach Ryan Dinwiddie says Argonauts quarterback Nick Arbuckle 'leads by example.' 'I remember taking my daughter for Happy Meals at McDonald's and somebody coming up and saying something, or going to Starbucks and people saying something,' Arbuckle, who spent last off-season in Toronto, told the Free Press Friday. It was the little things that held more weight for the product of Camarillo, Calif., a small town about an hour northwest of Los Angeles. Arbuckle, who won a Grey Cup as a backup to Bo Levi Mitchell in Calgary, hadn't been celebrated in years — not since his earlier days as a pro when many pegged him to be one of the CFL's next best quarterback talents. 'We did an assembly with the Grey Cup at my daughter's school for her show-and-tell day. So every time after that, going to pick her up from school for the entire school year, this last year, all the kids knew me as 'the football player,' and so that was pretty cool,' the 31-year-old added, pausing for a moment. 'Other than that, I think everybody moves on, especially in a city like this, where so many things happen, so many other sports teams are playing that's on people's minds, that everything we did last year, rightfully so, is part of history now.' Indeed, life has returned to what it was, and Arbuckle must prove himself again. He confessed he hasn't given the Grey Cup much thought since the few weeks of celebration that ensued. He's still to reminisce on the game — which ended 41-24 and saw him complete 26-of-37 passes for 252 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions — and he hadn't watched the film back until this week, in preparation of hosting the Bombers at BMO Field on Saturday (6 p.m. CT). 'It existed as a perfect memory in my brain,' he said. Those thoughts, though stored away, remain vivid. 'The most fun part is being there for an entire week, living with the team. I feel like the level of preparation and camaraderie and everything you build when you are finished practice, and instead of going to your homes, you go back to the hotel room together. And you get to do outings and go shopping and go to restaurants, basically every day of the week,' he said. 'You get to do that on day one or day two, things you don't really ever get to do unless you're on the road the day before the game. So that's the most special thing, just how much you build and how prepared you are, both mentally and emotionally, going in with your team because of just being able to spend the whole week together.' Arbuckle was confident going into the game, despite only seeing action in five regular-season contests and the second half of the Eastern Final. One of those came in Week 8 against Winnipeg, a game that was forgettable from a production standpoint for the signal-caller but one the Argos won, nonetheless. 'I was like, 'We beat them already… we've done it before, we're a better team now, and everything's more comfortable — our team's healthier.' So it just felt like it wasn't this big thing that we had to overcome,' he said. That was despite most of the country writing Toronto off, entering the game with him at the helm after starter Chad Kelly had sustained a broken fibula the week prior. Arbuckle remained even-keeled and never felt slighted. 'I understand if I were a media person and a writer, in their shoes, I'd probably be looking at it the same way,' he said. 'I try to do that with all the things, just try to look at things from other people's perspective. It helps from carrying these negative chips on your shoulders that ultimately can affect your decision-making. And, when you're a quarterback, you can't let the outside noise affect you in any kind of way.' Arbuckle — who remains under centre while Kelly continues to rehab his injury — has maintained that approach in 2025 despite the Boatmen quickly sinking near the bottom of the East Division standings, as the team has battled a slew of injuries while trying to overcome significant turnover at key positions. 'He's pretty consistent,' said Argos head coach Ryan Dinwiddie, who also coached Arbuckle with the Stampeders. 'I mean, honestly, you go and win a Grey Cup, I think it's going to build confidence amongst the team and himself. But he's been the same guy since what I had in Calgary. 'He is a leader. Now, does he have to be the most vocal guy? I think he leads by example.' That's always been Arbuckle's style. He's not a rah-rah guy. His moments of vocal leadership are few but deliberate. 'We have some other guys on offence who have some leadership qualities, as well,' Dinwiddie added. 'Nick has his own way. He's pretty authentic with it. So I know all the guys trust Nick, and we just got to find ways to win football games and continue to build more confidence.' Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. At 1-5, Toronto is nearing desperation territory as it welcomes Winnipeg on Saturday night. The Bombers will be looking to right their own wrongs, but Arbuckle is trying to help breathe new life into a season before it's lost. 'It's always tough whenever you're not winning,' Arbuckle said. 'I feel like guys still understand the potential that the team has and the length and duration of this season. It's a marathon, and we have five losses now, and nobody in this league is going to miss the playoffs with five losses. 'Everything we want is still in front of us, and we control our own destiny, but there's also that sense of urgency where you can't keep taking losses, or else you're playing playoff football for two to three straight months going into the playoffs.' X: @jfreysam Joshua Frey-SamReporter Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh. Every piece of reporting Josh produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Miami Herald
7 days 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
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.
SoraNews24
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
McDonald's Japan announces Pokémon Trading Card Happy Meals with guaranteed Pikachus
You don't need to specifically choose Pikachu, because it's a promise that he'll be in your Happy Meal. McDonald's Japan is right in the middle of a collaboration with Sanrio, currently serving up Happy Meals with summer suntanned Hello Kitty Toys. But cravings for burgers and fries will always return, and so McDonald's is already planning its next team-up with a superstar character in Japan, and this time it's Pikachu. Coming on August 8 is a new line of Pokémon Happy Meal toys, and fans of the franchise have most likely now marked that date on their calendars. If you can hold off until the next day, though, there's something even better, as in addition to the toy, you'll also get exclusive Pokémon Trading Card Game cards! The lineup consists of a half-dozen Pocket Monster species, including Riolu, Ralts, and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet starters Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly. Then, of course, there's Pikachu, whose card features an adorable illustration of the franchise mascot sitting in a restaurant booth and about to dig into a delicious hamburger. Well, actually, judging from the way the cutlery on the table is oriented, he's asking for a bite of the burger ordered by the Pokémon Trainer who's taken him along on this McDonald's run, but come on, get serious, there's no way anyone would ever say no to such a heart meltingly cute appeal. 8/8(金)～ハッピーセット®にポケモンのおもちゃが登場！8/9(土)〜8/11(月)はポケモンカードも もらえるよ！#ポケモン #ポケカ — マクドナルド (@McDonaldsJapan) July 15, 2025 With a total of six designs, though, you might be wondering how many Happy Meals you're going to have to order in order to snag the Pikachu card, but that's where the deal gets really sweet. Each Happy Meal comes with two Pokémon cards, and one of them is guaranteed to be Pikachu. However, while the odds are in your favor, time isn't necessarily on your side. McDonald's is yet to say how long the Pokémon Happy Meal will be available for, but usually each toy theme runs for about two weeks. The Pokémon cards, however, will only be given out on August 9, 10, and 11. And should you decide to go on august 8 as well to make extra-sure you don't miss out on the toys, ending up with a bunch of leftover McDonald's French fries in the process, we've got some tasty ideas for how to reuse them. Source: Twitter/@McDonaldsJapan via Jin Top image: Twitter/@McDonaldsJapan Pokémon ©Pokémon, ©Nintendo/Creatures Inc./Game Freak Inc. ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
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
