Last year, McDonald’s created a Happy Meal for adults, teaming up with streetwear brand Cactus Plant Flea Market to design retro-inspired figurines depicting the Hamburglar, Grimace, Birdie, and the Cactus Buddy. Now, after 25 years,the fast -food chain is reviving the iconic McNugget Buddies toys, which will feature in a forthcoming box created in partnership with New York-based artist Kerwin Frost.
The nostalgic set is poised to debut on December 11, 2023.
Customers can opt for a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets or a Big Mac meal with fries and a soda to receive the limited-edition knick-knacks. According to CNBC, this range of “anthropomorphic McNuggets” has disappeared from the brand’s mascot lineup for over two decades.
For the unfamiliar, the McNugget Buddies first appeared in 1988 as part of a Happy Meal before showing up in comic books published by McDonald’s Canada in 1993. They were last spotted in the 1996 ‘McNugget Buddies Halloween’ offering.
Naturally, after a quarter of a century, the models have gotten a much-needed update. The artist placed his own spin on the six new additions, including creating one that resembles his own appearance named DJ.
The other five toys comprise Don Bernice, Uptown Moe, Waffutu, BRRRICK, and Darla—all of whom are clothed in interchangeable outfits so collectors can experiment with their own wardrobe for the Buddies.
“With last year’s Cactus Plant Flea Market Box, we unlocked the childlike joy of opening a Happy Meal box for fans of all ages,” said Tariq Hassan, chief marketing and customer experience officer at McDonald’s USA.
“Fans told us they wanted to celebrate that quintessential childhood experience again.”