Feeling nostalgic? McDonald’s new happy meal will bring back memories for Gen Xers

Are you of an age when you long for some of those little moments of nostalgia to get you through the day? Well, McDonald’s has something for you this summer, as the fast-food giant is launching a McDonaldland Meal, reviving its full cast of golden-era mascots for the first time in over 20 years. Grimace, Birdie, Mayor McCheese, even the Fry Kids are stepping out and into your local drive-thru.

What is the McDonaldland Meal and what’s in it?

The meal includes a Quarter Pounder with Cheese or a 10-piece McNuggets, fries, and the new Mt. McDonaldland Shake, described as having “vibrant blue ‘lava’ and pink clouds.” In terms of the flavor, McDonald’s says you’ll have to figure it out. A secret concoction inspired by the fictional volcano from its 1970s mascot universe. (If it’s anything like last year’s Grimace Shake, expect chaos on TikTok.)

Every meal comes with one of six collectible tins – each packed with retro postcards, stickers, and souvenirs. They’re themed to the characters, and yes, the nostalgia tax is built into the pricing, which varies by location.

Why is McDonald’s bringing back the McDonaldland gang now?

To put it plainly: sales. McDonald’s is reporting earnings this week, and May was rough – its weakest performance since the pandemic. “Over the past few years we’ve seen how fans flock to our characters,” said Jennifer “JJ” Healan, the company’s VP of U.S. Marketing. “But many, especially the new generation, don’t know that’s just the tip of the iceberg... There’s an entire magical world of McDonaldland.”

If you grew up on McDonaldland commercials, you may feel there’s something unsettlingly effective about seeing them back in full force. That’s the strategy here: target Gen X and older millennials through emotional muscle memory, while introducing Gen Z to a world built on apple pie trees and burger thieves.

There’s also Pacsun merch dropping August 12, with colorful sweat sets and graphic tees, and an Away luggage collab (yes, really!) on August 18. It’s a lot of branding for what started as a playground full of felt costumes and Fry Guys.

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