History Main / KidsMealToy

* ''Toys/{{Tamagotchi}}'': In 1998, the original toys got a [=McDonalds=] line of keychains featuring one Tamagotchi character coupled with a miniature, non-functional version of the normal virtual pet toys.

* ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians'' got toys of the Guardians (except North, who was replaced with a snow globe).

While toys in fast food meals were really popular back in the '80s, '90s, and the 2000s, due to a mixture of factors, such as declining sales, concerns and controversy over selling fast food to children, and environmental factors, amongst other factors, the practice has been experiencing a continuing decline as of TheNewTens, with only several of the major fast-food chains ([=McDonalds=], Burger King, Wendy's, etc) continuing the practice to this day, while others have since dropped it altogether. Even many of those that continue it, however, have mostly downplayed their presence, to where there's barely much advertising for them anymore (at least, not to the extent it was back in the last few decades).

While toys in fast food were really popular back in the '80s, '90s, and the 2000s, due to a mixture of factors, such as declining sales, concerns and controversy over selling fast food to children, and environmental factors, amongst other factors, the idea has been experiencing a continuing decline as of TheNewTens, with only several of the major fast-food chains ([=McDonalds=], Burger King, Wendy's, etc) continuing the idea to this day, while others have since dropped the practice. Even many of those that continue it, however, have mostly downplayed their presence, to where there's barely much advertising for them anymore (at least, not to the extent it was back in the last few decades).

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'': Interesting fact, this promotion actually caused Fillmore's (the hippie Volkswagen) name to be changed. He originally going to be named Waldmire, after Route 66 resident Robert "Bob" Waldmire, but Waldmire, a vegan, didn't want his name to be used because Fillmore toys would be featured in Happy Meals.

* ^ ''Series/ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger'' (Japan only)

** ''Series/PowerRangersLightspeedRescue''
** ''Series/PowerRangersMegaforce''

** ''Series/PowerRangersSPD''
* ''Series/TokumeiSentaiGoBusters'' (Japan only)
* ''Series/ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger'' (Japan only)

* ''WesternAnimation/Trolls'' got a set of pencil toppers.

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What better way to market your franchise than to give it a fast food promotion? It's a win-win for you and the fast-food chain. UsefulNotes/McDonalds started the Happy Meal in 1977 as a way for kids to have their own meals, accompanied with a small plastic toy. Soon, Burger King, Wendy's, etc followed suit.

While toys in fast food were really popular back in the 80s, 90s and the 2000s, due to a mixture of factors, such as declining sales, concerns and controversy over selling fast food to children, and environmental factors, amongst other factors, the idea has been experiencing a continuing decline as of TheNewTens, with only several of the major fast food chains ([=McDonalds=], Burger King, Wendy's, etc) continuing the idea to this day, while others have since dropped the practice. Even many of those that continue it however, have mostly downplayed their presence, to where there's barely much advertising for them anymore (at least, not to the extent it was back in the last few decades).

* ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'' got a bendable Scooby figure, a kit to build the Mystery Machine, a glow in the dark ghost flyer, and a decoder dangler deck.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Anastasia}}'' had two sets of toys. One came with the meal, while the other should be purchased for an extra three dollars. The toys included in the second set included a talking Bartok plush, an Anastasia doll, and a miniature battery powered train and track.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rango}}'' got playing cards, toys of Rango, Rattlesnake Jake and Ms. Beans, a light-up badge, and a spinning pendant.

* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'' not only got defictionalized versions of Woody and the gang, but also hand puppets.

* ''Franchise/TomAndJerry'' got small soccer-ball shaped toys in 2014 to promote the World Cup.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Sing}}'' got toys of the characters that sung when you switched them on. The promotion also got a [[MemeticMutation memetic commercial]].

* ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMansChest'' was the last Disney Happy Meal promotion before Disney severed ties with [=McDonalds=] because of how unhealthy it is. They starting doing Happy Meals again in 2018.

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* ''Toys/MrPotatoHead'' had many mini figures over the years.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' has gotten a lot of Happy Meal tie-ins from the fast food restaurant over the years, usually involving a [[TabletopGame/{{Pokemon}} TCG card]] and a toy. In fact, with the exception of 2020, there's been a promotion every year since 2011.

* ''WesternAnimation/ElTigre'' had a run in January 2008. Available were toys of El Tigre, White Pantera, Puma Loco, and Señor Sinestro. Prototypes of Frida and Chipotle Jr were made, but never sold.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstoneKids'' got race cars. [=McDonald's=] must have been obsessed with racer toys in the 80s and 90s.

* ''WesternAnimation/GreenLanternTheAnimatedSeries'' had a run in 2012. Light up figures of Hal and Razer, push button activated action Hal and Kilowog, a disk launching Interceptor and a light up ring and mask. There were also Green Lantern related items in the online game [=McWorld=].

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'' got toys of the main six (and Miss Finster), each paired with a ball. Along with the toys, [=McDonald's=] and Disney was promoting a sweepstakes called "Be on Recess". The winner of the contest would appear on the show as a ContestWinnerCameo. The winner was selected via a random drawing, and also won a trip with their family to Disneyland. The winner of the contest, Morgan, appeared in Season 4's "The Rules".

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' had runs in 2011 and 2012. One particular run had skateboards.

A couple of interesting notes about Taco Bell. They started offering kids meals in 1995 and became the first major fast food chain in North America to discontinue kids meals entirely (along with any associated toy tie-ins) in 2013. Also, in later years they offered two different kids meals, one for toddlers under the age of three and one for kids 3 and up. While the meal for older kids came with the typical assortment of anywhere from 3-5 different toys, the toddler meal usually only had one toy available at any given time that wasn't necessarily always tied to the same promotion as the older kids' meal.

* ''[[Manga/CardCaptorSakura Cardcaptors]]'': Five toys based on the Americanized "Cardcaptors" version of Cardcaptor Sakura were given away in 2002. This promotion drew complaints from the American Family Association who believed the Clow Cards in the series (and featured in one of the toys) were too similar to tarot cards.

[[AC:Films - Live Action]]
* ''[[Film/Godzilla1998 Godzilla]]'': Taco Bell ran a massive promotional campaign for the 1998 film that included kids meal toys, in addition to an instant-win game and other merchandise for adults.

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* ''TabletopGame/{{Digimon}}'': Offered in 2000, kids meals came with promotional playing cards, metal cards, and colored card holders.

* Creator/{{Konami}}: In 2011 Taco Bell partnered with Konami to offer promotional CD Roms with kids meals for one of five Konami PC games: ''Pro Evolution Soccer 2011'', ''VideoGame/DanceMasters'', ''Mini-Golf Adventures 2'', ''Mini-Golf Adventures 2: Reloaded'', or a 30th anniversary edition of ''VideoGame/{{Frogger}}''. These were only offered to older kids; the toddler kids meal came with a different toy.
* ''VideoGame/MySims'': Kids meals in 2010 came with either a sticker set, poster, or a free copy of the PC version of the game. These were only given to kids 3 and older.
* Creator/{{Nintendo}}: A UsefulNotes/Nintendo64 holiday promotion in 1997 offered five toy options. There was a climbing Franchise/DonkeyKong toy, a Yoshi figurine, a Mario maze, and handheld games based on ''VideoGame/MarioKart'' and ''VideoGame/StarFox64''. Notably, unlike most kids meal toys these were not free but were sold for 99 cents each and came packaged in gift boxes.

* ''WesternAnimation/AlmostNakedAnimals'' got Taco Bell kids meal toys in 2012 under the name "Banana Cabana" (after the hotel featured in the show).

* ''Franchise/CarmenSandiego'': A top secret gum pack and a travel kit.

* ''WesternAnimation/FelixTheCat'' had a run in 1997 featuring a plush, a golden trophy, and 3D mini poster.

* ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'': In "Drive Thru," Strong Bad orders a "crappy toy meal" for The Cheat at the whale-shaped drive-through restaurant speaker (despite there not being any restaurant). Being told that he can only get a brown crappy toy instead of a blue one with his meal causes The Cheat to burst into tears.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'' episode "The Menu", during his trek across all the Joyful Burger restaurants, Richard nearly eats a horse toy that comes with a kids' meal, and Gumball pulls it out of his mouth before reading the meal's box, noticing the toy has more nutritional value than the meal itself, and throws the toy back into his mouth.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'': In "[[Recap/RugratsS9E10BestestOfShowHoldThePickles Hold The Pickles]]", Taffy takes the babies to Boingo Burger for lunch, and buys each of them a Wacky Meal, which comes with either a cheeseburger or Reptar nuggets. The babies also discover that the Wacky Meal comes with a toy. Kimi's is a miniature teddy bear, Tommy's prize is a miniature figure of Reptar, Chuckie's is a miniature head of Boingo Burger's clown mascot (much to his horror), and Lil's is a finger trap.

** In "Mermaid Man vs. [=SpongeBob=]", Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy are hired to promote the restaurant, appearing in TV commercials for it. Kids meals are produced featuring Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy toys. Seeing how the promotion attracted kids to the Krusty Krab, Plankton uses mind-control shampoo on the aforementioned heroes to turn them against the Krusty Krab and bring customers to the Chum Bucket.

* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStoryToons'': In the "Small Fry" short, Bonnie goes to Poultry Palace, where the Fun Meal promotion at the time is for Buzz Lightyear toys. Bonnie wants a Mini Buzz figure, but the only one Poultry Palace has is for display. The Mini Buzz figure on display manages to escape and swap himself out with Bonnie's Buzz, who gets mistaken for a Fun Meal toy and taken to a support group for discarded Fun Meal toys from years past. Buzz tries to escape while Bonnie's toys try to get the Mini Buzz back to Poultry Palace.

** In "Mission: Really Big Mission", Dudley and Kitty travel around the world to find the three pieces of T.U.F.F.'s laser system before Snaptrap does with the intent use it to heat up the Earth's Corn Belt. After T.U.F.F. loses the first piece to Snaptrap in the middle of the Pet-cific ocean, Keswick accidentally sends the coordinates of the second piece to the Meaty Moose restaurant and Dudley and Kitty his lunch order. Dudley and Kitty order lunch from the Meaty Moose drive-thru along with the coordinates, and Dudley asks the cashier for a toy with his meal. The toy he gets is an action figure of Meaty Moose, which he complains that he already has. When he tries to give it to Kitty, she tells him she already has it as well.

While toys in fast food were really popular back in the 80s, 90s and the 2000s, due to a mixture of factors, such as declining sales, concerns and controversy over selling fast food to children, and environmental factors, amongst other factors, the idea has been experiencing a continuing decline as of TheNewTens, with only several of the major fast food chains ([=McDonalds=], Burger King, Wendy's, etc) continuing the idea to this day, while others have since dropped the practice. Even many of those that continue the idea however, have mostly downplayed their presence, to where there's barely much advertising for them anymore (at least, not to the extent it was back in the last few decades).

While toys in fast food were really popular back in the 80s, 90s and the 2000s, due to a mixture of factors, declining sales, concerns and controversy over selling fast food to children (leading to many fast food chains to shift the marketing to adults), and environmental factors, amongst other factors, the idea has been experiencing a continuing decline as of TheNewTens, with only several of the major fast food chains ([=McDonalds=], Burger King, Wendy's, etc) continuing the practice to this day, while others have dropped the practice. Even those who continue the practice however, have largely downplayed their presence and barely advertise it anymore.

** "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS12E13DayOfTheJackanapes Day of the Jackanapes]]" features Chief Wiggum and Lou getting in a fight over the latter's Krusty Burger Laffymeal pinball toy.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': The episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS13E20LittleGirlInTheBigTen Little Girl in the Big Ten]]" had Bart and Grampa at Krusty Burger, with Bart getting a plastic Krustysaurus from his meal and Grampa's "Nostalgia Meal" containing ration stamps and a bullet shell full of butter.

** In "Yours, Mine and Mine", [=SpongeBob=] buys Patrick a kid's meal (that the latter agreed to share with the former but didn't) and Patrick demands a refund. [[TheScrooge Mr. Krabs]], not wanting to lose any money, inserts some straw limbs and pickle eyes on a Krabby Patty and calls it a Krabby Patty-shaped toy. [=SpongeBob=] falls in love with it, naming it "Patty Pal." The whole plot of the episode is Patrick being stingy and selfish by not sharing the toy with [=SpongeBob=], which devastates the latter and causes conflict throughout the episode.

* ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' got trading cards as well as soundtrack [=CDs=]/

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Moana}}'' got wristbands.

What better way to market your franchise than to give it a fast-food promotion? It's a win-win for you and the fast-food chain. UsefulNotes/McDonalds started the Happy Meal in 1977 as a way for kids to have their own meals, accompanied with a small plastic toy. Soon, Burger King, Wendy's, etc followed suit.

[[folder:In-Universe and Parody Examples]]
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