Summary
- A new Pokemon Happy Meal at McDonald's includes a TCG booster pack, poster, and sticker sheet.
- The promotion targets both long-time fans and newcomers to the Pokemon franchise.
- The limited-time offer sparks concerns about scalpers targeting McDonald's for exclusive cards.
Pokemon fans, it's time to head back to McDonald’s because starting today, January 21, the new Pokemon Happy Meal is available nationwide for a limited time, offering exciting ways to engage with the Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) for those who order via the McDonald’s app. Each Happy Meal includes a Pokemon TCG booster pack featuring four of 15 collectible cards, a Pokemon poster, and a sticker sheet to decorate it. Fans can look forward to discovering various Pokemon, including popular Dragon-type characters.
This partnership comes at a time when the Pokemon TCG remains the highest-selling card game in the world, with products continuing to sell out rapidly. Given the ongoing popularity of the collectible card game, the promotion is expected to be a major success, which could lead to more Pokemon scalping problems. The current Pokemon TCG set, Prismatic Evolutions, has already sold out at many retailers. Scalpers have been buying large quantities of boxes, breaking them open, and reselling individual cards on platforms like eBay for thousands of dollars.
Pokemon GO Announces New Partnership With McDonald's
Pokemon GO developer Niantic and McDonald's announce a new partnership that will bring some exciting limited-time events to the game soon.
According to an official McDonald's press release, the new Pokemon Happy Meal promises a nostalgic experience for long-time fans and a fun introduction for newcomers. “There’s nothing more exciting than when we can bring campaigns to our fans with partners that we’re fans of ourselves,” said Guillaume Huin, Senior Marketing Director at McDonald's. “Much like they do for McDonald’s, our fans have deep nostalgia and love for the Pokemon brand. We’re thrilled to build on those great memories and create a new moment of fun and happiness with the new Pokemon Happy Meal.” Notably, the excitement doesn’t stop at the contents of the meal. McDonald’s has introduced four unique Pokemon-themed Happy Meal box designs featuring Charizard, Pikachu and Dragonite together, Rayquaza, and Roaring Moon.
McDonald’s Launches Dragon-type Pokemon-themed Happy Meal
Additionally, customers who purchase the Happy Meal through the McDonald’s app will receive a one-time redeemable code for the Pokemon TCG Pocket app. This bonus unlocks 24 pack hourglasses and 12 wonder hourglasses, allowing players to open two digital booster packs and select a randomized digital card using the Wonder Pick feature. With McDonald’s offering a limited-time Happy Meal promotion featuring exclusive Pokemon cards, concerns have arisen that the fast-food chain might also become a target for scalpers. If demand mirrors what has been seen with recent TCG sets, McDonald’s could face challenges in meeting fan expectations while preventing resale exploitation of its limited-edition cards.
Pokemon GO activations are ongoing at McDonald’s locations across the United States. Trainers can visit Sponsored PokeStops or Gyms at McDonald’s restaurants and participate in special events during specific weeks. These include encounters with Pokemon attracted by active Lure Modules and five-star raids at McDonald’s Gyms. Key dates for these events are January 20–26, February 10–16, and March 10–16. The Pokemon Happy Meal promotion begins on January 21 at participating McDonald’s locations nationwide, while supplies last. Exclusive Pokemon TCG cards and Pokemon TCG Pocket rewards are available as part of this limited-time offer.
- Created by
- Satoshi Tajiri
Pokemon is a franchise that needs no introduction. One of the most successful media empires in history, Pokemon spans games, television, films, manga, merchandise, music, and more.