McDonald's Happy Meal Toys Not Always As Advertised

Do you know what I hate?

I hate that McDonald's Happy Meal toys are not always as advertised - like the toy in the photo above that is still being given away 18 months after it was first released.

I really, really hate the hit or miss aspect of the Happy Meal toys at McDonald's.

Now... let me get this out of the way... I enjoy eating the McDonald's menu here in Toronto, Canada.

I am aware that by living in Toronto, I may not be privy to such awesome golden arches fare as Japan's teriyaki burger (which is quite good - I lived in Japan for three years - read my blog about my adventures: HERE), but the rather plain-jane food I do get is good.

I can almost hear the collective gasps and sucking in of air between the teeth, as I admit to such horrendous admissions of horror.

Yeah, yeah... I don't even care what animal I'm eating, all I know is that I like the food. Although I am always a little confused when I find out that the McRib is coming back for a short period of time, as I had always believed that the animal flesh it was carved from had long since been extinct.

Strangely enough, I actually want to go to McDonald's more than my eight-year-old son, Hudson, and while he enjoys his Happy Meal, he is becoming more and more disillusioned with the great big upside down dubba-ya, as apparently not all McDonald's restaurants are created equal.

For example, while I could go on and on about various deficiencies at any particular fast food chain, the McD's in Toronto, on Dundas just west of Kipling is the one closest to me... and while I have noticed some improvement, with the manager tossing out food that was waiting too long for its companion foods (still shouldn't happen, as that costs money), the shop seems to be getting worse and worse in the way it works with children... who should be the lifesblood of its once and future kingdom.

By that, I mean... the Happy Meal, and more specifically, the Happy Meal 'toy'.

Once up on a time it came in a paperboard box - and sometimes it does - and sometimes it doesn't - and it had games and cut-outs and things to amuse the children. Sometimes it comes in a Happy meal paper bag, and there are fewer things to play with and nothing to push-out... and then it comes in the regular no-fun, non-Happy Meal paper bag.

And then there's the kid's toy.

On national television, McDonald's cheekily advertises it's kid's Happy Meal and brazenly proclaims to the clamoring rabble that "xxx" toys are available for the girls, and "yyy" toys are available for the boys... but when you finally give in to the annoying anthill mob and take the kids to McDonald's and order the Happy Meal, and are asked to verify if the meal is for a boy or a girl... rather than receive one of the six advertised toys (and I checked the availability dates), we instead get a toy, oh... let's say SpongeBob SquarePants... that the company first began giving away back in the summer of 2012.

It was a toy giveaway for SpongeBob, yes, but also for the 2012 Summer Olympics! It's 2014 and the Winter Olympics are on! Why am I still receiving this bullcrap toy??!!  

And they continue to give them away at this restaurant because ordering in a butt-load of kid's toys once in 2012 is a whole lot easier than ordering in the latest kid's toys in smaller amounts every few weeks... because who needs to make kid's happy when all you need to do is provide convenient food in a timely manner - sometimes making people (like me) wait over 10 minutes for a kid's Happy Meal (hamburger, fries, yogurt, chocolate milk), a Big Mac sandwich, and a Angus Burger (bacon & cheese) meal (with a Coke)... having to make the Happy Meal twice because it was sitting out on the counter (not even under a heat lamp)...

... and while the manager did say sorry for the wait (thank-you), there was no "thank-you and here's a coupon for a free small fries for your next visit" - which ensures that there will be a next and then having to go home and discover that the kid's toy is from the 2012 Summer Olympics SpongeBob SquarePants set of 16.

A set of 16? The Olympics were on for what 21 days? Do they expect parents to take their kids to McDonald's 16 times to get the whole set?

If I do that, my kid will never make an Olympic team!

What is even more sad is that the 2014 Winter Olympics are on now. What the hell do we want with a kayaking summer Olympic toy in February of 2014? We don't.

My kid is so disgusted. We have agreed to never go to that McDonald's again, and will gladly drive the extra distance to a McDonald's that actually offers the toy that is being advertised nationally.

Again... I am aware that McDonald's is franchised... but the head office needs to get a better grip on some of its representatives.

I am tired - and so is my son - of receiving crap.

I am aware that you - McDonald's - state that the toys are at participating McDonald's in teeny-tiny letters on your television adverts, but that is still not good enough.


It is still the illegal practice of "bait and switch", and it sucks.

You don't even want to know how many times my kid has been stuck with one of these LEFTOVER toys - and they are leftovers! - the money I've wasted because he wants a particular toy, only to discover we;ve been ripped off again... or it it still... whatever.

I guess not all McDonald's restaurants are not created equally. 

Hey - I know you give out good toys with the happy meal, like the Batman glasses:

I look like I'm constipated, but these McDonald's Batman glasses are dynamic.

... and the new LEGO Movie lenticular cups such as this that change images:

All cats are evil.

But... that's because I can't trust the McDonald's near me to get my order correct, get it to me in a timely fashion, or to provide my kid with a truly happy meal.

Because... let me tell you... there is nothing worse for a parent than having to placate an upset kid who was supposed to get a Happy Meal and a toy he saw advertised on television. If you can't trust television...

For the record... I like the McDonald's at Bloor and Markland in west Etobicoke. They never screw around with a kid's happiness re: toys.

Do you know what I hate?

I hate that McDonald's Happy Meal toys are not always as advertised.