McDonald’s goes vintage with retro Happy Meal toys for 40th anniversary

Published Nov. 8

Hey, millennials (or parents of millennials)!

Do you miss the days of excitedly reaching into your arch-topped Happy Meal box to find out if luck brought your desired toy? Are there some you missed out on or wish you still had?

Well, this might be your lucky weekend. From now through Monday, McDonald’s is re-releasing some of its most popular toys to celebrate the Happy Meal’s 40th anniversary. The lineup includes 17 toys, two of which are exclusive to the chain’s U.S. Restaurants.

But just like the old days, you don’t get to pick. The Surprise Happy Meal will choose that fate for you. The list of possible toys includes:

Cowboy McNugget (McDonald’s): 1988

Fireman McNugget (McDonald’s): 1988

Mail Carrier McNugget (McDonald’s): 1988

Hamburger Changeable (McDonald’s): 1989

Grimace (McDonald’s): 1990

Dino Happy Meal Box Changeable (McDonald’s): 1991

McDonald’s Hot Wheels Thunderbird (Mattel): 1993

Hamburglar (McDonald’s): 1995

Power Rangers (Hasbro): 1995

Space Jam Bugs Bunny (Warner Brothers): 1996

Patti the Platypus (Ty Beanie Baby): 1997

101 Dalmatians â€" U.S. Exclusive (Disney): 1997

Tamagotchi (Bandai): 1998

My Little Pony (Hasbro): 1998

Furby (Hasbro): 1999

Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey â€" U.S. Exclusive (Disney): 2002

Hello Kitty (Sanrio): 2013

“Parents tell us how fondly they recall their favorite toys,” Colin Mitchell, McDonald’s senior vice president of global marketing, said. “So, unboxing the Surprise Happy Meal together creates a real moment of bonding with their children. We hope these toys are something that they will treasure and remember.”

The Happy Meal got its start in 1979 as the Circus Wagon Happy Meal and quickly became known for its decorative boxes, which sometimes doubled as play sets, and the surprise toys that came inside.