New Measures Make Happy Meal Toys in Japan Less Accessible for Scalpers: What You Need to Know!

McDonald’s Japan is changing how it handles Happy Meals, thanks to chaos during a Pokémon promotion earlier this summer. When special Pokémon cards were offered, crowds formed, leading to arguments and food waste. Some people even tried to resell the cards online for a big profit.

To prevent this chaos again, McDonald’s is rolling out a new Sanrio Happy Meal series. Starting Friday, these meals will include toys featuring popular characters like My Melody and Kuromi, along with a Cinnamoroll picture book. Given the buzz around these characters, high demand is expected.

To curb bulk buying and resale, strict new rules are in place. Customers can buy Happy Meals only in-store, with no mobile orders or drive-thru options. Each group can buy a maximum of three meals, and multiple purchases by the same group are off-limits. These limits aim to ensure that genuine fans get their hands on the toys instead of resellers.

Lessons from the Past

The Pokémon Happy Meal launch in August was a wild experience. Many customers bought meals just to get the cards, leading to waste. In Japan, a Happy Meal costs around $3.50 (or 510 yen), while some rare Pokémon cards were selling for up to $28 online. By introducing these new restrictions, McDonald’s hopes to prevent a repeat of that stressful situation.

A Win for Parents

This change is beneficial for parents. Happy Meal toys should delight kids, not become a source of stress. With these new rules, parents can feel more secure in finding toys their children want without dealing with inflated resale prices.

Moreover, this situation gives parents a chance to talk to their kids about fairness. McDonald’s is showing that promotions should be fun and accessible, not a way for scalpers to profit. It’s a valuable lesson about rules and fairness, helping kids understand that everyone should have a fair shot at what they want.

In the end, these updates provide families a more enjoyable experience. Parents can take their kids for a treat, focusing on the food and the fun of collecting toys, rather than competing with resellers.

For more context on this trend, check out the discussion on Japan Today.

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Pokémon cards, Happy Meals, Sanrio characters, Japan, McDonald’s, inflated prices