McDonald’s confirms 2026 Pokémon Happy Meal: cards and toys return
McDonald’s has locked in its November 2026 Pokémon Happy Meal promotion, and this one brings back something fans haven’t had together in years: trading cards and actual physical toys in the same release. Each Happy Meal comes in a yellow box shaped around Pikachu’s head and includes two random Pokémon cards plus one collectible toy. The card set is expected to run to 15 cards, with reprints like Pikachu, Eevee, Snorlax, and Jirachi, all carrying McDonald’s branding and holofoil treatment. The toy side looks a lot closer to older promotions too, with proper 3D plastic toys returning through a line of 15 miniature Happy Meal boxes styled after Pokémon such as Pikachu, Squirtle, Charmander, and Bulbasaur.
The first batch of the McDonald’s Pokémon Happy Meal promotion is set for November 2026 in the US, Canada, Australia, France, New Zealand, Spain, and Fiji. More regions are scheduled for December. Parts of Latin America and Asia are expected to follow in January 2027, with the UK and Ireland getting it in February 2027.
If you collect Pokémon cards, or just end up buying Happy Meals on a regular basis, this promo is probably one to grab. Still, there are a few catches worth keeping in mind: the two-card pack is smaller than the older four-card promo packs, and some fans are already bracing for the usual problems, including scalping, shortages, bulk buying by resellers, and plain old waste. That concern is there even though McDonald’s has been running Pokémon promotions since 2011, and some markets have had toy-only versions in the past.
You’ll be able to find the McDonald’s Pokémon Happy Meal at participating McDonald’s locations once the rollout reaches your region.
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