14 Forgotten Toys From Fast Food Kids’ Meals
These long-forgotten fast-food toys once thrilled children across decades, only to be buried by time, trends, and toy box clutter.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
Fast food kids’ meals were once treasure troves of delightfully strange and charming toys. From transforming burgers to collectible watches and mini board games, these giveaways sparked joy and obsession in young diners. Though many have been forgotten, their quirky designs and cultural roots offer a nostalgic look at what once made a meal feel like magic.
1. McDonald’s Changeables (1987–1990)
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These were transforming toys that turned McDonald’s menu items into robots. A Big Mac could become a mech, and a box of fries might sprout arms and legs. They were clever, weirdly cool, and totally baffling to anyone who didn’t grow up with them.
2. Burger King’s Gold Pokémon Cards (1999)
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These gold-plated Pokémon cards came in Poké Balls and felt like solid treasure to every kid who collected them. Each card was sealed in a plastic case and featured legendary Pokémon like Mewtwo and Charizard. They looked fancy, but were more for show than battle.
3. Taco Bell’s Star Wars: Episode I Toys (1999)
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Taco Bell teamed up with KFC and Pizza Hut for a massive Star Wars promo in 1999. The toys ranged from Jar Jar tongue lickers to mini spaceship launchers. Most were odd, clunky, and now sit forgotten in dusty bins across America.
4. Wendy’s Inspector Gadget Toys (1999)
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Wendy’s released different parts of Inspector Gadget that kids could assemble into a full figure. You had to collect arms, legs, torso, and head from separate meals. If you missed one part, Gadget remained a disjointed mystery forever.
5. McDonald’s McNugget Buddies (1988–1996)
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These were anthropomorphic Chicken McNuggets with swappable costumes like clowns, pirates, or Frankenstein. They had zero articulation but endless charm. Each one looked like they walked out of a surreal dream and into your Happy Meal.
6. Burger King’s Rugrats Watches (1998)
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These colorful digital watches featured characters like Tommy, Chuckie, and Angelica. Each came with a tiny wrist strap just durable enough to last a month. Kids wore them more as style statements than timepieces.
7. McDonald’s 101 Dalmatians Figurines (1996)
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McDonald’s made 101 different Dalmatian toys to celebrate the live-action film release. Each dog had a unique look, though most people barely made it past 20. Completing the set felt like an impossible mission, even for the most dedicated collector.
8. KFC’s Foghorn Leghorn Racing Toys (1995)
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These wind-up toys featured Looney Tunes characters in strange vehicle designs. Foghorn Leghorn might be driving a giant chicken leg or a barn on wheels. They were quick to break but strangely entertaining.
9. McDonald’s Tamagotchi Keychains (1998)
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These weren’t full digital pets, but tiny keychain versions with images of characters from the Tamagotchi universe. You couldn’t actually raise a pet, but for kids in the ‘90s, even the branding was enough. They were cute, simple, and didn’t beep in class.
10. Hardee’s California Raisins Figures (1987)
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Hardee’s released plastic figurines of the California Raisins, a band of claymation raisins that sang Motown. Each figure had shades, limbs, and instruments like saxophones and guitars. They made absolutely no sense and were incredibly popular.
11. McDonald’s Underwater Barbie and Hot Wheels (1995)
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One of the most iconic gender-split toy releases featured Barbie dolls in scuba suits and miniature Hot Wheels racers. Kids would trade across gender lines, trying to collect both sets. The toys floated awkwardly in the tub and often lost their stickers after two baths.
12. Burger King’s The Simpsons Watches (2002)
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These talking watches had quotes from Homer, Bart, and others when you pressed a button. They were bulky and didn’t tell time very well, but the voice clips made them fun to show off. Most are silent now, their batteries long since dead.
13. McDonald’s Food Fundamentals (1984)
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A strange educational set of toys that taught kids about nutrition through characters like “Calci Yumm” and “O.J. Orange.” They looked like produce with faces and arms. Nobody really asked for them, and most kids just tossed them aside to get to their fries.
14. Dairy Queen’s DQ Kids Meal Board Games (2000)
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Dairy Queen once offered small travel board games like mini checkers or memory match in their kids’ meals. They came in plastic cases and were surprisingly functional for a car trip. While not flashy, they were a quiet win for bored kids in the backseat.