To hate the new Macdonalds DIY toys

[Radio4ordie]

We have macdonalds infrequently and it’s almost always because we are very late from some special visit (e.g visiting a long distance grandparent), we’re unwell or we have a deadline at work and had to work late. In other words the need for something speedy outweighs the normal healthy eating.

They now have these cardboard toys that definitely require a grown up level (or certainly neurotypical 7plus) level of fine motor control to put together AND fall apart every few minutes so constantly need ‘fixing’.

I know I’m a terrible person because this is so much better for the planet than plastic toys and you’ll all tell me we shouldnt ever go to macdonalds anyway but does anyone else mourn the days of simple macdonalds toys your kids could just play with whilst you nurse a migraine on the sofa?

We have macdonalds infrequently and it’s almost always because we are very late from some special visit (e.g visiting a long distance grandparent), we’re unwell or we have a deadline at work and had to work late. In other words the need for something speedy outweighs the normal healthy eating.
Why such a long back story. Seriously why not just get to the point. Who cares if you go to Macs or not.🤷‍♀️

McDonalds.

My issue isn't with the toys, my kids eat more than a happy meal now but the paper straws aren't fit for purpose!

I agree OP, the toys are rubbish. They are actually worse than nothing because you have to repeatedly explain to your child why there is no actual you, just some bits of cardboard.

The Pokemon ones were a hit though, and the books aren't bad.

Not"you", toy.

I put one of the dinosaurs together for my stepdaughters and was hailed a bit of a hero because everybody had decided it was impossible.

Bored of it in three seconds though.

Stationery would be much better. They love coloured pens and whatnot. Maybe a little activity book with a gel pen?

Although I can see why they have changed from plastic tat I remember back when I had happy meals you got really good toys. I had the little mermaid bath toys from there, robot burgers, drinks glasses and once I even had sunglasses. I kept them for ages. Now they tend to get thrown away with the wrappers.

I can never remember which way to spell it.
Then I remember they sell Big Macs, so presume it is MacDonalds.

Why is it a Big Mac and not a Big Mc?

Stationery would be much better. They love coloured pens and whatnot. Maybe a little activity book with a gel pen

Doesn't a happy meal cost around £3? They're probably severely limited as to what they can provide and still make a profit, especially when it already includes food that sells for at least that amount if you buy the menu items separately.

You don't have to justify going to McDonalds.

Yes the cardboard toys are crap, I wish they'd do away with them instead of wasting the resources making them! The books are ok sometimes. Tom Fletcher ones went down well, David Walliams not so much.

Some of the toys used to be great and are still going now, I have a Tom & Jerry lemon juicer that came from McDonalds which I use a lot! Perhaps a cup or reusable straw would be better than the cardboard stuff. Or just stop doing them altogether.

Doesn't a happy meal cost around £3? They're probably severely limited as to what they can provide and still make a profit.

Very true. I wouldn't mind paying a bit more for something of better quality though. But I suppose their costings are as low as possible as a priority.

@stampo

They should just stop offering a toy of any kind. Make it just about food. I know the kids will be annoyed/upset/disappointed the first two or three times but then they'll get over it and getting a crappy toy in a happy meal will be a distant memory. Or give stickers, kids love stickers.

They promote kids films and things through the happy meals though so I'm guessing they're obliged to produce some old shite as marketing to the kids. YANBU OP the new toys are crap. They always end in lying in the footwell of the car.

@notacooldad

We have macdonalds infrequently and it’s almost always because we are very late from some special visit (e.g visiting a long distance grandparent), we’re unwell or we have a deadline at work and had to work late. In other words the need for something speedy outweighs the normal healthy eating. Why such a long back story. Seriously why not just get to the point. Who cares if you go to Macs or not.🤷‍♀️

Loads of people jump on McDonalds threads to say YABU to eat there it's not even food etc and it's basically child abuse. So those people care (and are very annoying)

I do agree it's a source of AIBU madness mentioning fast food. I have a happy meal for lunch a lot because they deliver to work, luckily we still have nice toys here at the moment, beanie babies again now. I save them up and give them away.

Yes! Waste of time. My ds was not amused when pokemon were in the happy meals, a bunch of stickers and a card.

Someone else has mentioned the reusable cups, they were brilliant! We still have some of the Mr Men ones which are in the toy kitchen now!

We had McDonald's for my daughter's birthday tea the other day - I had to build 3 of those hideous Minion "toys". And then rebuild. Luckily I think that was the last time my older two will want a Happy Meal (8 and 9).

I ask for a book but get given toys! The books were so much better. We get them if we go to a different place but the one we usually go to can be a bit lazy (I used to work there 12 years ago and a lot of the staff is still the same, they were lazy back then so doesn't seem to have changed much!)

My sister has started calling them crappy meals

@Thirstquenching I used to work at McDonald’s and ate there every day so I’m certainly not snobbish about eating there and I still misspell it sometimes .

@emilyfrost

Its McDonalds. There is no “a” in it.

But YANBU. You can thank the hippies for their constant whinging about toys.

It's 'It's' not 'Its'. There is an apostrophe in it.

If you order online you can choose a book or a toy, we go for the book now when we have a Mc D’s.

YANBU because they are still plastic in the US! Surely they consume more McDonald's than the UK?! 🙈

I think it’s great they’re no longer plastic. Good on McD.

My 6 year old made it himself with hardly any input.v

I agree with you op, I mean seriously what were they thinking with the cardboard toys?! They are rubbish and more likely to just be thrown away. I would rather there was no “toy” and funny to see they are still plastic in America! Do they still get plastic straws too?

@emilyfrost

Its McDonalds. There is no “a” in it.

But YANBU. You can thank the hippies for their constant whinging about toys.

Christ, who gives a shit Emily? Do you enjoy proving people wrong and sitting on your glorious high horse?

wooden high horse 🐴

I agree the new cardboard 'toy' is crap. Too fiddly to build for many kids of happy meal age and falls apart or gets wrecked if they try and play with them. The old toys were usually much more usable.
My kids have inherited a couple of the beanie/soft toys that I got in happy meals (albeit as a uni student) and there are a few of the plastic ones that they got prior to the change still kicking about in the toy pile, so certainly not single use plastic by any means.
The top trump cards recently were ok.