McDonalds revives fan-favorite 1980s Happy Meal toy: Bringing back the nostalgia

What’s old is new again.McDonald’s is bringing back an iconic Happy Meal toy after nearly 40 years.The fast-food giant officially brought back the Changeables Happy Meal from the 1980s on Tuesday, giving fans a taste of nostalgia.“Starting Jan.

27, the beloved toys that first stole fans’ hearts in the late 80s and early 90s will return to restaurants for a limited time, giving kids and grownups alike the chance to get one of 16 Changeables that transform into classic McDonald’s icons,” McDonald’s told Fox 8 in a statement.Changeables, first introduced in 1987, are toys that transform from a McDonald’s item into a character.They are designed to look like menu items, drink dispensers, to-go bags, trash cans and so on — but they can be transformed into a variety of figures such as dinosaurs or robots.The return of the beloved collectibles “[invites] a new generation of fans to discover the nostalgic experience that made it a fan-favorite.”AdvertisementWhile the company didn’t offer many other details, a McDonald’s senior marketing director shared on X that the 2026 version of the Changeables are updated versions of both the robot and dinosaur designs from the original three released in 1987, 1989 and 1990.“Changeables were — by far — the most requested Happy Meal program on X, across social media platforms and through customer service,” Guillaume Huin said in the post.Huin noted that there will be a total of 16 characters to collect in the Changeables Happy Meal program, and each comes with its own name and catchphrase.Last week, McDonald’s teased the return of Changeables on Instagram — and fans were ecstatic.“Noice!! Bringing back the nostalgia!” one person wrote.“Oh, these are AMAZING,” another said.“90s inner me is so hyped,” a third fan shared....