McDonald’s has introduced Pokémon Happy Meals nationwide for a limited time. Each Happy Meal includes a Pokémon Trading Card Game booster pack with four of 15 available cards, a Pokémon poster, and a sticker sheet.
Additionally, each Happy Meal box includes a design featuring either Charizard, Pikachu & Dragonite together, Rayquaza, or Roaring Moon. Customers purchasing a Happy Meal through the McDonald’s app are also able to unlock in-game codes redeemable for 24-pack hourglasses and 12 wonder hourglasses, which can then be used to open two digital booster packs and select one digital card as part of the Wonder Pick feature.
Pokémon fans can also visit their local McDonald’s restaurant to participate in the Pokémon GO activation that kicked off across the United States last December. As part of this collaboration, trainers can visit sponsored PokéStops or Gyms when visiting all domestic McDonald’s restaurants. Further, Pokémon GO players can visit the participating McDonald's locations during specific weeks from now until the end of March to encounter Pokémon attracted by active Lure Modules and participate in five-star raids at McDonald’s Gyms. These weeks are Jan. 20–26, Feb. 10–16, and March 10–16.
“There’s nothing more exciting than when we can bring campaigns to our fans with partners that we’re fans of ourselves,” McDonald’s senior marketing director Guillaume Huin said in a statement. “Much like they do for McDonald’s, our fans have deep nostalgia and love for the Pokémon brand. We’re thrilled to build on those great memories and create a new moment of fun and happiness with the new Pokémon Happy Meal.”
The original Pokémon TV series debuted in 1996 in Japan. It has since become the highest-grossing media IP in the world, with revenue exceeding $150 billion. Several restaurant concepts tapped into the brand’s popularity in 2016 after the launch of Pokémon GO, an augmented reality game using GPS technology to map Pokémon to real-world locations. Other chains have also leveraged the brand for kids meal promotions, including Burger King, in 2008.
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