10 Fast Food Toys That Wouldn’t Be Allowed Today
These once-popular fast food toys would never pass today’s safety standards or social norms.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
Fast food toys used to be wild sometimes flat-out dangerous, but we loved them anyway. These toys reflected a time before stricter regulations and heightened parental awareness. Here’s a look at 10 fast food toys that were once handed out with a smile but would never fly today.
1. McDonald’s Snack Maker Toys – Kitchen Appliances for Kids
Mike Mozart on Flickr
These plastic machines let kids make tiny fries, burgers, and shakes at home, but they got hot and messy. Often poorly constructed, they risked burns and involved unsupervised “cooking.”
2. Burger King Pokémon Balls – Choking Hazard Recall Nightmare
Jordan Bajc on Flickr
In the late ’90s, Burger King’s Pokémon balls were a massive hit — until tragedy struck. After a child suffocated on a part of the toy, the entire line was recalled.
3. McDonald’s Mini Furbies – Eye-Poking Plush Gone Wrong
Pixabay
These fuzzy toys mimicked the real Furbies but came with small parts and a rigid build. Parents complained about their stiff antennas and potential eye hazards.
4. Taco Bell Batman Forever Glasses – Cool but Breakable
Jonrev on Wikimedia Commons
Promotional glassware for Batman Forever seemed like a fancy touch — until you handed it to a kid. These real glass cups were fragile and easily shattered, not exactly child-proof.
5. McDonald’s Halloween Buckets with Detachable Lids – Lid Liability
monstersforsale on Flickr
These pumpkin-themed Happy Meal buckets were iconic, but their removable lids became a safety concern. They posed risks of pinched fingers and choking for toddlers.
6. Hardee’s California Raisins – Vinyl Figures with Sharp Edges
Joe Haupt on Flickr
These collectible figures were based on the singing raisins from ’80s ads, but their hard plastic edges were anything but soft and fun. With stiff limbs and pointy accessories, they weren’t toddler-friendly.
7. Jack in the Box Magic Ball – Suspiciously Like a Mini 8-Ball
Seano1~commonswiki on Wikimedia Commons
Meant to mimic the Magic 8-Ball, this toy encouraged kids to shake and ask questions — but it also invited controversy. Filled with liquid and sealed poorly, leaks were a common occurrence.
8. McDonald’s Sky Dancers – Whirling Winged Menace
João Vitor on Pexels
These small, fairy-like toys launched into the air with a pull cord and quickly became known for smacking kids in the face. The fast-spinning wings caused injuries ranging from bruises to eye damage.
9. Wendy’s Inspector Gadget – A Puzzle with a Price
Leo Reynolds on Flickr
This toy required collecting multiple parts from different meals to assemble a full Inspector Gadget figure. The problem? The detachable pieces were small, breakable, and easy to swallow.
10. McDonald’s Ronald McDonald Pull-Back Cars – Fast but Flimsy
Diana ✨ on Unsplash
These little vehicles zipped across the floor with a pull-back mechanism, often going airborne. Made with thin plastic, they snapped easily and had detachable wheels that spelled trouble for toddlers.