Pokémon Happy Meal Promo Reportedly Starts November 10

Pokémon is reportedly heading back to McDonald’s for a new Happy Meal promotion tied to the franchise’s 30th anniversary. According to leaked promotional materials circulating online, each Happy Meal will come with two Pokémon trading cards plus a plastic toy, and the US run goes from Tuesday, November 10 through Monday, December 14, 2026.

So far there’s been no official word from McDonald’s or The Pokémon Company on the launch dates, the specific cards, or any of the leaked artwork. Treat all of it as reported rather than confirmed.

Two Cards and a Toy Per Meal

The format is a change from past McDonald’s collaborations. Historically, these promos came with 4-card booster packs that guaranteed one holographic card. This time, two of those four card slots are reportedly being swapped for a plastic Pokémon toy.

Each toy turns a specific Pokémon into a miniature Happy Meal box, and it doubles as a display frame for the cards that come with the meal. There are 15 toys to collect, and this is the first time since 2018 that Happy Meals have included plastic Pokémon toys.

The full reported toy lineup:

• Pikachu, Eevee, and Umbreon
• Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle
• Weedle, Torchic, and Sobble
• Espurr, Munchlax, and Minccino
• Sprigatito, Piplup, and Rowlet

The leaks also include apple slice packaging with a Pokémon theme, decorated with Pikachu, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Eevee.

The Cards: 15 Total, Three Confirmed So Far

The promotion includes 15 cards to collect. Only three have been identified in the leaked images:

• Metagross from Temporal Forces, the Steel/Psychic-type Pseudo-Legendary
• Palafin from Obsidian Flames
• Hawlucha from the Scarlet & Violet base set

McDonald’s cards are usually reprints of existing cards from other expansions, distinguished by holofoil confetti or a McDonald’s stamp. It has not been confirmed which of the 15 will be holographic, or whether each Happy Meal guarantees a holo like past promos did. The remaining 12 cards are still unknown.

Regional Dates

Canada gets the promotion first, with Australia close behind:

• Canada: Tuesday, November 3 through Monday, December 7
• Australia: Thursday, November 5 through Wednesday, December 9
• United States: Tuesday, November 10 through Monday, December 14

Why the Toy Swap Makes Sense

When Happy Meals in Japan last came with cards, customers scooped up meals by the stack to grab the cards and tossed the food. The backlash led to the promo being altered and the cards replaced with toys. Shifting the value toward plastic toys while keeping two cards per meal looks like a direct response to that.

It also lands in a different market than past McDonald’s promos. The 30th Celebration set launched recently with rare cards and special Pikachu variants, and The Pokémon Company increased that set’s pull rates. With anniversary product this available, a Happy Meal card run is more of a fun side collectible than a scarce chase.

Two reprints and a display-frame toy per meal is a reasonable deal for kids and casual collectors. If you want the full set of 15 cards and 15 toys, the five-week window gives you plenty of visits to get there.

For anniversary cards you can pick out instead of pulling at random, browse 30th Celebration singles.