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McDonalds Happy Meal Crocs - Someone explain it to me.

42 replies

Runrum · 21/09/2026 10:01

Someone on Facebook had a bunch of McDonalds Happy Meal Crocs they were giving away and there was quite a lot of responses asking for them, or saying they needed a specific one from the set, or being tagged by a friend to check if they needed any.

I don't get it. Why do people want these?

And yes, I do understand people like all sorts of different things and that's perfectly fine. I just genuinely don't understand this one.

What do you do with a load of mini Crocs? They're all right (or left) feet so you can't use them for dolls, etc. I know they have a keyring thing, but they're pretty chunky so can't imagine wanting to carry one around. We had a couple and other than covering everything in the house with those pain in the arse, highly adhesive, tiny stickers - my 4 year old could not work out a way to play with them, before I eventually chucked them.

And from what I've seen, I'm fairly sure it's adults that want them, not really kids. I'm baffled.

OP posts:
Thewonderfuldollypartonsbra · 21/09/2026 10:06

Well,if your my colleague,it's because she wants the full set,just to say she's got them

She does this with all the toys and has a fit if she can't get one and is smug if she's got a spare one

I have no idea what she does with them once she's got them

I work there,I don't want to bring the tat home with me after the shift

I think it's partly fomo-it definitely is with her until the next lot come out

thesungodra · 21/09/2026 10:06

The same reason people collect Jellycats or Pokemon cards or any other pointless item, I suppose. Marketing departments know how to tap into people’s deep-rooted psychology, and the average human mind likes collecting stuff!

UnwillingAdvocate · 21/09/2026 10:06

You do know it’s not actually crocks but the little toys you clip on them?

dustabsorber · 21/09/2026 10:10

Why collect anything? I got an ad on Mumsnet yesterday from Oxfam for a stamp that they want 125 quid for. I suppose someone somewhere has 125 quid spare for a used postage stamp.

NormasArse · 21/09/2026 10:13

UnwillingAdvocate · 21/09/2026 10:06

You do know it’s not actually crocks but the little toys you clip on them?

It’s an actual little croc on a keyring.

Foolish1984 · 21/09/2026 10:29

The same reason people were queued up outside Starbucks last Tuesday morning, wanting the new Snoopy/Starbucks merchandise 🤷🏼‍♀️

Runrum · 21/09/2026 10:42

thesungodra · 21/09/2026 10:06

The same reason people collect Jellycats or Pokemon cards or any other pointless item, I suppose. Marketing departments know how to tap into people’s deep-rooted psychology, and the average human mind likes collecting stuff!

I kind of get Jelly cats or Pokemon cards, sort of. Not enough to do it myself but ish.

These are literal pieces of plastic tat that serve no purpose.

OP posts:
Runrum · 21/09/2026 10:43

UnwillingAdvocate · 21/09/2026 10:06

You do know it’s not actually crocks but the little toys you clip on them?

Do you think that I think that these are real Crocs that people wear?

OP posts:
bookishshyish · 21/09/2026 10:44

Rampant consumerism and end stage capitalism

runnerducky · 21/09/2026 10:46

UnwillingAdvocate · 21/09/2026 10:06

You do know it’s not actually crocks but the little toys you clip on them?

It’s not jibbitz, it’s an actual miniature croc attached to a key ring. Jibbitz would have actually been more useful!

SorryforyourlossMoveon · 21/09/2026 10:48

Runrum · 21/09/2026 10:43

Do you think that I think that these are real Crocs that people wear?

😅😅😅

Bjorkdidit · 21/09/2026 10:56

I assume it's because people want to collect sets of things.

Others might also be hoping that in future they'll make money from them - remember the Natwest pigs, also the Pokemon cards, some of which are now hugely valuable. A friend of DPs sold some original boxed Star Wars toys for thousands, they paid his house deposit.

Runrum · 21/09/2026 11:00

runnerducky · 21/09/2026 10:46

It’s not jibbitz, it’s an actual miniature croc attached to a key ring. Jibbitz would have actually been more useful!

Edited

Ooohhh, they thought I was talking about the charm things. That was very confusing. 😂

They definitely would have made more sense in my mind.

OP posts:
SugarMuffins · 21/09/2026 11:02

Well better than the cardboard toys they use to put in there that you had to build. Always going to be someone complaining though.

OvernightBloats · 21/09/2026 11:04

Destined to be thrown into landfill. What a load of crap.

Netcurtainnelly · 21/09/2026 11:11

Macdonald's do very well at trying to catch the next generation of customers don't they?

runnerducky · 21/09/2026 11:13

My kids were pretty unimpressed with them. They don’t seem like a very exciting toy for kids, given they come in Happy Meals! We’ve had some decent stuff before, DD1 still plays with a bunch of Pokemon plastic figures we got from a friend who had collected them years ago from McDonalds. But this was a bit of a miss. The cardboard games were shit too, except the Dobble.

Sartre · 21/09/2026 11:15

I was pretty baffled at these being given as a toy too. McDonald’s toys were pretty good in the 00s when I was growing up at points, not all of them obviously. Then they understandably bowed to environmental pressure and started handing out little books or cardboard construction things. Now I’ve noticed they’ve returned to plush toys mostly or weird things like the crocs and Mr Men cars?? I don’t remember the last time anyone thought about Mr Men.

VividDeer · 21/09/2026 11:21

Yanbu. I binned one this week that my daughter really wanted, and will never look at again. Thankfully at the end of happy meal ages

Strawberryfruitstarburst · 21/09/2026 11:39

bookishshyish · 21/09/2026 10:44

Rampant consumerism and end stage capitalism

Yep!

McDonald’s are responsible for a lot of landfill!! I thought they were stopping plastic toys but seems they have come back with a vengeance.

Runrum · 21/09/2026 11:48

SugarMuffins · 21/09/2026 11:02

Well better than the cardboard toys they use to put in there that you had to build. Always going to be someone complaining though.

Edited

What makes mass produced plastic that serves no purpose better than a cardboard (recyclable) toy that also has some sort of activity to it?

I mean, it's ALL a waste of time that will end up in landfill but I'm not sure why this is "better".

OP posts:
Runrum · 21/09/2026 11:50

runnerducky · 21/09/2026 11:13

My kids were pretty unimpressed with them. They don’t seem like a very exciting toy for kids, given they come in Happy Meals! We’ve had some decent stuff before, DD1 still plays with a bunch of Pokemon plastic figures we got from a friend who had collected them years ago from McDonalds. But this was a bit of a miss. The cardboard games were shit too, except the Dobble.

Quite. They come in Happy Meals which are predominantly aimed at children (need not discuss the health aspect on this thread). My child got excited for about 3 seconds because there was a box to unwrap, played with the stickers and that was that. Done with.

OP posts:
SugarMuffins · 21/09/2026 11:52

Runrum · 21/09/2026 11:48

What makes mass produced plastic that serves no purpose better than a cardboard (recyclable) toy that also has some sort of activity to it?

I mean, it's ALL a waste of time that will end up in landfill but I'm not sure why this is "better".

Of course it’s better, what kid wants a cardboard toy that you have to build? Bet you’re fun at parties!

Runrum · 21/09/2026 11:53

Sartre · 21/09/2026 11:15

I was pretty baffled at these being given as a toy too. McDonald’s toys were pretty good in the 00s when I was growing up at points, not all of them obviously. Then they understandably bowed to environmental pressure and started handing out little books or cardboard construction things. Now I’ve noticed they’ve returned to plush toys mostly or weird things like the crocs and Mr Men cars?? I don’t remember the last time anyone thought about Mr Men.

A couple of the books were good and there was one that had a little figure you could make skate across the page or something like that. My DC had never seen Mr Men before and he loved the little book he got. We've read it ad nauseam. But you're right about the toys back in the day. I remember a Barbie in a wedding dress I adored.

OP posts:
Pinkflamingo10 · 21/09/2026 11:54

More plastic tat for landfill. Shame on McDonalds