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Original poster

To be irritated that McDonald's have brought back plastic toys.

85 replies

IrritatedEarthling · 07/04/2025 15:20

I've looked on their website and they say they mix "fossil fuel materials" with used cooking oil to make durable toys that your kids can pass down to their kids.

This Minecraft toy is identical in style to the toys they used to make and I cannot see us keeping it safe for the day I become a grandmother.

My kids actually requested a book, but that request is universally ignored in all McDonald's. Why?!

In france they give you a beautiful hardback book, really nice quality.

Other moans while I'm here: why do they universally ignore my request for the grilled chicken wrap. The receipt says grilled, the box says grilled. The chicken inside however is fried.

Why do they make the tea ten minutes before the rest of the meal, so that the tea is stewed.

Why Why Why!

OP posts:
Tbrh · 22/04/2025 02:59

I'm more concerned on what their restaurants do to the environment than their food tbh

LillyPJ · 22/04/2025 02:35

Why, why, why ... are you going to McDonald's?!

CrispieCake · 22/04/2025 02:32

Sometimes I feel sad for my kids that they'll never experience the joy of the plastic gems that accompanied 90s Happy Meals. The wind-up fries, the transforming burger, the lurid Ronald McDonald figure... They were great. An environmental catastrophe maybe but a real joy. Everything my DC have received has been a pale imitation.

The paper/cardboard stuff is rubbish but I take it away and keep it for boring car trips where it might spark a bit of interest.

Icanhearabee · 22/04/2025 02:01

I don’t like the plastic toys either. They aren’t the kind of thing you would normally want to keep for long so there’s a high chance of them ending up in land fill.

tiredogre · 22/04/2025 01:47

Bananalanacake · 07/04/2025 15:23

I used to have the hot chocolate in Macdonalds but for some reason they stopped it (in Germany)

Don’t worry, they make it disgusting in the UK, genuinely tastes like dish water 🤮

Dramatic · 07/04/2025 20:42

I don't think you like McDonald's to be honest.

doodleschnoodle · 07/04/2025 20:40

I am torn because the ethical part of me says the plastic toys are bad.

But the rest of me says the paper toys and books were shit, my kids didn’t care for them, they just got instantly chucked. But they have McDonalds Pokemon toys from years ago we acquired from a friend that are played with all the time, and DD2 has been playing with her Minecraft dog all week.

so yes it’s probably bad but I think pretty much every kid will prefer it.

Switcher · 07/04/2025 20:38

I once went to McDonald's after a devastating argument with a hideous boyfriend and was in floods of tears. I was 23. The girl behind the counter gave me a super cute Mr Happy figure. One of my most treasures possessions that reminds me how lucky I am. So....I'm a bit biased!

supercalifragilistic123 · 07/04/2025 20:37

We went today and my kids were both really pleased with their Minecraft toys. They spent ages sticking the stickers on to make their own block world.
I thought they were really thoughtful toys.

mum2jakie · 07/04/2025 20:35

MargaretThursday · 07/04/2025 20:31

Number of times I've seen the wonderful book shoved in the bin with the leftovers.

Ds is delighted with his adult minecraft meal plastic tat. He has given it pride of place next to his computer. Ds is 17yo.

My teenage son was exactly the same!!

RedToothBrush · 07/04/2025 20:35

It would be better if, when you order a happy meal, you could say "can I have a book instead" or "I'm fine without a toy or book thanks".

Except they don't. Even though you are supposed to be able to have a book instead of a toy.

Personally I miss the Pokémon toys - a lot of people went to Mcdonald's just for them. And no I don't mean children.

Moveoverdarlin · 07/04/2025 20:32

Wildywondrous · 07/04/2025 16:35

I'm glad they're back, the books and paper toys go in the bin without being looked at, dd was delighted to have a proper toy again.

Our dog gets the soft toys.

We’re exactly the same. The dog loves them.

MargaretThursday · 07/04/2025 20:31

Number of times I've seen the wonderful book shoved in the bin with the leftovers.

Ds is delighted with his adult minecraft meal plastic tat. He has given it pride of place next to his computer. Ds is 17yo.

MerryBeret · 07/04/2025 20:15

Anyone remember the shark toys that were in cereal in the 80s? Absolutely loved them, played with for years.

MerryBeret · 07/04/2025 20:14

ChopstickNovice · 07/04/2025 16:32

The paper/card ones were awful, bits kept falling off or they were easily crushed. DS plays with McD toys at my parents house that I got as a kid!

Yes, the paper ones were a huge exercise in frustration and disappointment. I'm ecstatic that they're doing proper ones again.

TheJollyMoose · 07/04/2025 19:55

IrritatedEarthling · 07/04/2025 18:18

Yes the non plastic ones are dreadful, but we always ask for a book. Yes the books are dreadful, but my six year old likes to read.

Also Yes the food is dreadful but there are times when there isn't much choice.

I stand by what I said about the grilled chicken and the French books.

Your grilled chicken isn’t deliberately ignored.

Grilled chicken is actually very rarely ordered, so it is never held. Therefore it has to be cooked to order in a completely separate oven to the other chicken.

While this is happening your wrap is going down the line being dressed like everything else. It waits at the end for the grilled chicken, however managers tend to put their weakest person on finisher so they’re either a trainee or just not the best. Hence crispy.

BigBigSigh · 07/04/2025 18:35

UndermyShoeJoe · 07/04/2025 15:27

I missed the plastic toys, the toys in cereal, pogs in crisps. You know the little joys as a child.

Only thing that made me and my siblings want to bother with breakfast was the race to be the one who one the toy.

Also collecting the wombles and ty babies at mc Donald’s ahh the olden days.

I know. Remember those shrinky things you cooked in the oven that were in cereal?

Everything is so painfully joyless and inconvenient now who wants a frozen drink or a thick milkshake when the cardboard straw sets your teeth on edge and be soggy well before you get to the bottom.

I was thinking this about Easter eggs as well. Half the fun of the Easter Egg was the fun stuff that came with it - a massive Kinder plastic egg or a mug the egg was inside. Now nothing.

Plastic stuff is fun for children and its sad they generally don't get it now. Good on McDonalds. Plastic straws would be even better.

Original poster
IrritatedEarthling · 07/04/2025 18:18

Yes the non plastic ones are dreadful, but we always ask for a book. Yes the books are dreadful, but my six year old likes to read.

Also Yes the food is dreadful but there are times when there isn't much choice.

I stand by what I said about the grilled chicken and the French books.

OP posts:
WavyRavey · 07/04/2025 17:42

Great, kept mine for years and now my son can play with them and they're not crappy bits of cardboard.

ScarletWitchM · 07/04/2025 17:30

Hope they bring back plastic straws too

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 07/04/2025 17:22

Yabu, it's the first of their toys dd has actually liked

I find it so patronising to put books in the happy meal 🙄🙄

TurtlesDoNotPetsMake · 07/04/2025 17:10

I'd be more upset about the unimaginable cruelty the animals suffer.

Thisismetooaswell · 07/04/2025 16:56

Don't go then. I can't believe anyone who is prepared to feed that crap to their child is worried about the toy tbh

WhatColourIsThatBalloon · 07/04/2025 16:55

Voted unreasonable because ALL the happy meal toys are crap. Until recently it was some squashy ball that looked like a dog toy. Books were never available. My kid only eats the chips so I just get him that now and save filling my house with rubbish. Dare say in time he'll want the plastic tat but for now its a solution!

BeachRide · 07/04/2025 16:40

Brilliant news! Thanks OP, it's back to Maccies we go!