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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Happy meal toys..

174 replies

ArrabellaAM · 13/05/2021 16:46

Right.. I know this might be a bit divisive but...

Anyone else think the new cardboard happy meal toys are absolute crap.
Like dont even bother wasting the cardboard cause it probably won't even make its way to the recycling bin level crap.

I know they've always been a bit naff but at least they were played with.

I know they are reducing single use plastics and all the eco friendly rationale.
I also know I'll be sent straight to hell for letting my child ingest a happy meal.

OP posts:
mogsrus · 13/05/2021 16:58

You go for the food not the gift

Winterfellismyhome · 13/05/2021 17:00

Yanbu. They're shit

Original poster
ArrabellaAM · 13/05/2021 17:00

True @mogsrus But the toy should win me at least 5 minutes peace later that day to have a coffee shouldn't it. Am I expecting too much Sad

OP posts:
mumof2exhausted · 13/05/2021 17:01

Totally agree!! The top trumps cards recently were brilliant. The cardboard stuff now is complete waste of time, goes straight into recycling. Also kids rarely go to McDonald’s but some of the plastic toys were played with loads (and I still can’t get rid of them)

Ilovemaisie · 13/05/2021 17:01

I will be annoyed if they stop doing the mini beanie boo toys. I have a vast collection of those.
I also wish they would hurry up bringing the fish finger happy meals back.
Yes that's right.... I like Beanie Boos, fish fingers and maccyds in general.
If there was a Mumsnet snooty test I will have just failed it Grin

mumof2exhausted · 13/05/2021 17:01

@mogsrus

You go for the food not the gift
Seriously?? I can cook chicken nuggets and chips at home if I wanted to. We only go on rare occasion as a treat and it is TOTALLY about the toy
Umbrellospagello · 13/05/2021 17:02

I agree OP. My little one loved the plastic toys. And I’m pretty sure he was in it for the toy not the food. The cardboard toys are crap.

emilyfrost · 13/05/2021 17:02

YANBU. They shouldn’t have stopped the plastic toys just to please the hippies Hmm

Original poster
ArrabellaAM · 13/05/2021 17:02

Yep the top trumps were a good one! I used to love those as a child.

We've got a plastic minion figure that regularly joins the family in the dolls house/emergency rescue reenactments.

OP posts:
minniemomo · 13/05/2021 17:03

They used to have beanie babies years ago, they were good. I wish they just put a mini colouring book and pack of 4 pencils in, restaurants did this a lot pre smartphones

Twinkie01 · 13/05/2021 17:03

I've been hoping for years they'd stop all the plastic shite and I'm no way a hippy. It's the least they can do. (Is quite like plastic straws back though, the paper ones are horrific!)

RaisinFlapjack · 13/05/2021 17:05

I still have some happy meal toys from when I was a kid, over 30 years old!

We had a happy meal for the first time in a long time this week and yeah, the cardboard nonsense went straight in the bin, they might as well not bother. I think you can ask for a book instead? At least those might have some use!

Original poster
ArrabellaAM · 13/05/2021 17:05

@Ilovemaisie

I will be annoyed if they stop doing the mini beanie boo toys. I have a vast collection of those. I also wish they would hurry up bringing the fish finger happy meals back. Yes that's right.... I like Beanie Boos, fish fingers and maccyds in general. If there was a Mumsnet snooty test I will have just failed it Grin
I would fail too but I'm so relieved to see the "normal" mums coming out in force with no judgement in sight so far!
OP posts:
AmyandPhilipfan · 13/05/2021 17:05

I understand them stopping the plastic toys but the cardboard ones are useless and I’d rather they reduced the price and gave no toy or gave a mini McFlurry instead. Weren’t the red noses this year made out of sugar cane or something? They seemed quite sturdy and presumably weren’t too expensive to produce. Couldn’t McDonald toys be made out of something similar?

Lavender201 · 13/05/2021 17:06

Agreed! The cardboard toys are crap. Even more so the ones that I have to assemble. Bloody cardboard spongebob.

Obviously plastic was bad for the environment, so not sure what the alternative is.... wooden?

Sally872 · 13/05/2021 17:07

I stopped buying happy meals as I didn't want any more plastic in my house. It really annoyed me mainly due to the environment but also the clutter. My two get 20 box of nuggets, fries and me and dh have the spare nuggets. I might consider happy meal again if cardboard.

wearetheweirdosmr · 13/05/2021 17:07

@emilyfrost

YANBU. They shouldn’t have stopped the plastic toys just to please the hippies Hmm
I'm not a hippy and I hated the amount of plastic tat generated by happy meal shit toys. They should stick to beanie boos, books and puzzle books etc.
Original poster
ArrabellaAM · 13/05/2021 17:08

@Lavender201

Agreed! The cardboard toys are crap. Even more so the ones that I have to assemble. Bloody cardboard spongebob.

Obviously plastic was bad for the environment, so not sure what the alternative is.... wooden?

Cardboard spongebob is what made me post this!

Wood would be brilliant but I bet it would be too costly.

OP posts:
CanofCant · 13/05/2021 17:08

I haven't seen these new toys, they sound rubbish though. Yes, the paper straws are terrible and go floppy really quickly when drinking a milkshake, ruins it really. I always kick myself for not remembering to keep one of my reusable ones in the glove compartment!

I hear that the paper straws aren't recycled anyway as they aren't removed from the lids when disposed of. Is that true?

TrickorTreacle · 13/05/2021 17:08

Totally misses point of this thread, but I went to McD many times as a kid and never had a happy meal. It was all about the food like @mogsrus already said.

Free gifts can also be found in:

Cereal boxes
Kinder Surprise Eggs
Magazine cover gifts
Crackers

Original poster
ArrabellaAM · 13/05/2021 17:10

@TrickorTreacle

Totally misses point of this thread, but I went to McD many times as a kid and never had a happy meal. It was all about the food like *@mogsrus* already said.

Free gifts can also be found in:

Cereal boxes
Kinder Surprise Eggs
Magazine cover gifts
Crackers

Do they still do them in cereal boxes!? Shock (excited shock) I'm just neglecting my child whilst remeniscing about toys in cereal now.
OP posts:
TheYearOfSmallThings · 13/05/2021 17:10

YANBU. The cardboard toys are completely shit and I strongly doubt any child plays with them at all. DS loves SpongeBob and he just kept searching the box because he couldn't believe there was NOTHING fun in there.

Ilovemaisie · 13/05/2021 17:11

Oh yeah the stupid straws....bring back plastic please.
What really bugs me actually is they have a recycling point next to the bins. A slot to pour any left over liquid, a slot for the cups and a slot for plastic (the lid from the drinks and previously the draws). However this is apparently far to complicated for many many people. 3 slots. 3 !! Why is it so hard? Why is there always a large food bag stuffed into one of the cup slots - shoved in and blocking they whole thing so no one can put their cups in. Why is there always someone's half eaten burger loose in the plastic slot? Why? Why oh why can't people follow really simple recycling rules?

Ilovemaisie · 13/05/2021 17:13

Is it next week that sitting inside will be allowed again?
I am looking forward to that. Like.... seriously looking forward to it.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 13/05/2021 17:15

I haven’t seen the new cardboard toys. What are they like?