McDonald's Brings Back Happy Meal Toys and Partners with Pokémon for Limited-Time Collaboration

McDonald's has brought back its wildly popular Happy Meal promotion, featuring classic toys and a new partnership with Pokémon. The fast-food chain launched a nationwide collaboration with Pokémon in January, releasing a new Happy Meal and creating an immersive PokéStops experience. McDonald's is once again teaming up with Pokémon for a limited-time partnership in Japan, introducing a 15-piece Chicken McNuggets box with new designs showcasing Pikachu and other beloved characters from the franchise.

McDonald's has reignited its popular Happy Meal promotion, this time partnering with the iconic Pokémon franchise. The fast-food giant launched a nationwide collaboration with Pokémon in January, releasing a new Happy Meal and creating an immersive PokéStops experience. Now, McDonald's is once again teaming up with Pokémon for a limited-time partnership in Japan, introducing a 15-piece Chicken McNuggets box with new designs showcasing Pikachu and other beloved characters from the franchise [1].

The new Happy Meal toys and trading cards are set to be available in Japan starting August 8, 2025. Each Happy Meal will come with a Pikachu or Charmander toy, while a special bonus campaign will run from August 9 to 11, distributing exclusive Pokémon Trading Card Game cards with each purchase. The cards include a guaranteed Pikachu card with a unique illustration and one of five other characters, randomly distributed [2].

McDonald's has a history of successful collaborations with popular brands, with previous partnerships including Hello Kitty and VTuber Houshou Marine. The company has leveraged these collaborations to enhance customer engagement and drive sales. The Pokémon partnership is particularly notable due to the franchise's enormous fan base and the value of its trading cards, which can reach millions of dollars per card [3].

The timing of the Pokémon collaboration coincides with the release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, which features the starter Pokémon Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly. This strategic move allows McDonald's to capitalize on the popularity of the new games and attract a broader audience, including adults [2].

McDonald's has not yet confirmed whether the Pokémon collaboration will extend beyond Japan. However, the company's track record of successful international partnerships suggests that an international release could be a possibility in the future.

References:
[1] https://www.thestreet.com/restaurants/mcdonalds-brings-back-a-fan-favorite-happy-meal-collaboration
[2] https://www.cbr.com/mcdonalds-pokemon-happy-meal-toys-summer-2025/
[3] https://essential-japan.com/news/mcdonalds-japan-announces-new-pokemon-happy-meal-will-include-special-pikachu-promo-card/