McDonalds Revives Adult Happy Meals and Classic McNugget Buddies in Nostalgia Strategy

Key points

• McDonalds is bringing back adult Happy Meals featuring collectible McNugget Buddies toys.
• The campaign targets millennial nostalgia to boost check sizes and drive app adoption.
• Secondary resale markets and high demand frequently lead to rapid store level inventory depletion.
• Nostalgia marketing allows legacy brands to generate high engagement without changing core menus.

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Sources and methodology

Reported from the public datasets below.

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) - Consumer Price Index, food away from home
• Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) - Food services and drinking places series
• U.S. Census Bureau - Monthly Retail Trade, food services

All sources Foodie Pundit reports from

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