McDonald's Celebrates The Happy Meal's 40th Birthday With Nostalgic Toys

Admit it. You missed Cowboy McNugget.

No worries. He's back!

The Happy Meal is 40 years old and McDonald's Corp. (NYSE: MCD) is celebrating by bringing back the most popular Happy Meal toys from the last four decades.

There's Furby. That was a popular one from Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) back in 1999.

Why did the McNugget Buddies cross the road? To make sure they get the Surprise #HappyMeal! Drive to participating restaurants starting 11/7 until 11/11 to get the McNugget Buddies, Hot Wheels, or one of 15 other iconic toys. pic.twitter.com/qzHeoFEjnC

— McDonald's (@McDonalds) November 5, 2019

There was also My Little Pony from Hasbro. That one showed up in Happy Meals around the same time. Hasbro's Power Ranger also did well in the mid-1990s, and will be back. And who could forget Mail Carrier McNugget? That 1988 piece of nostalgic gold is also returning.

The Happy Meal itself has changed over its four decades.

When it debuted in 1979, it included a hamburger or cheeseburger and fries, along with cookies. McNuggets (and Cowboy and Mail Carrier McNugget toys) came along in 1984.

The company started trying to get a little healthier with the kids' meals in the early 2000s, adding fruit, milk and juice as options.

The full cast of Surprise #HappyMeal is here for a limited time! Get an iconic toy from the last 40 years with the limited-edition Surprise Happy Meal at participating restaurants. Which childhood fave do you hope to get? pic.twitter.com/vNiGW1TwOb

— McDonald's Canada (@McDonaldsCanada) November 7, 2019

One in every four McDonald's orders includes a Happy Meal.

The toy promotion started Thursday and goes through Nov. 11.

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