Pokémon collectors have rushed to McDonald’s restaurants across Australia for the latest Happy Meal promotion, raising concerns that the sought-after cards could quickly disappear from stores.
The new children’s range includes 15 Pokémon cards, seven of them featuring foil designs, along with collectible keychains.
But excitement has turned to frustration for many customers who visited their local restaurants only to discover that the Pokémon Happy Meals had already sold out.
One Sydney fan went to the McDonald’s inside Chatswood Westfield just a day after the promotion launched and found a notice stating: “Fully sold out of Pokémon Happy Meal toys. Sorry for the inconvenience.”
“Now, is this a sign of scalpers buying up the Happy Meals, or do kids really want McDonald’s?” the customer asked.
Disappointed diners flooded social media with complaints, while parents said their children had been looking forward to starting their collections.
“It would have been fine if people had limited themselves to one or two of each, but of course there are people going from location to location and buying out every store,” one person said.
A Sydney customer found the Pokémon Happy Meal toys sold out at the Chatswood Westfield restaurant just one day after the promotion began
The new McDonald’s Happy Meal collection includes 15 Pokémon cards, seven foil designs and collectible keychains
“That’s really sad. I was planning to pick some up for my son next week, especially since we would probably be getting McDonald’s anyway. Pokémon is already aimed at children, and a Happy Meal makes it even more appealing,” another customer said.
Another fan added: “I was hoping to collect all 15 toys, with the cards being a novelty, so it’s awful that I had to change my plans almost immediately. I feel sorry for genuine customers, especially the children.”
The promotion is scheduled to continue until December 9.
However, fans have questioned whether the Pokémon cards will remain available for that long, with large crowds—including resellers—buying up the meals.
“Scalpers take all the fun out of everything,” one customer wrote.
Another pointed out that a complete card set was already listed on eBay for $140, while a sealed case containing 150 toys and 300 cards was being advertised for $1,550.
The Australian launch comes more than a year after McDonald’s Japan ended its Pokémon promotion ahead of schedule when demand overwhelmed the campaign.
McDonald’s Japan brought its Pokémon promotion to an early end after demand surged beyond expectations
Images shared online showed piles of discarded Happy Meals outside McDonald’s restaurants in Tokyo after Pokémon cards were removed from the packaging
Images shared on social media showed mountains of uneaten Happy Meals dumped outside McDonald’s restaurants in Tokyo after fans and resellers took the Pokémon cards and discarded the food.
“We do not believe in abandoning or throwing away food,” a McDonald’s Japan spokesperson said at the time.
“This situation conflicts with our long-standing philosophy as a restaurant: to provide children and families with an enjoyable dining experience.
“We sincerely acknowledge that our preparations were insufficient.”
The spokesperson added: “We are committed to returning to the original purpose of the Happy Set—to bring smiles to families and support the healthy development of the hearts and bodies of children, who represent our future.”
The Pokémon Happy Meal partnership has since returned to McDonald’s markets around the world. For now, however, there is no indication that the promotion will return to Japan.