Right now, some McDonald’s are celebrating the Pokémon’s 25th anniversary with a promotion that turns the iconic Happy Meal box into Pikachu’s face. Along with this angelic container are 50 collectible cards, including some rarer holographic cards. And some people are buying happy meals in droves to get their hands on them.
Pokémon cards are such a popular commodity that some fans say they are having a hard time buying boosters at major retailers. Almost every week, there is a new broken record for the dollars people are spending on old school packages – and new scams to keep up with the commotion.
In other words, McDonald’s promotion never stood a chance. People are waking up early watch what McDonald’s is selling is the new Happy Meal. Some are apparently buying Happy Meals in bulk in hopes of getting all collectibles, and only throwing out food. Some McDonald’s are really place restrictions on purchasing Happy Meals, although money changers are supposed to be turning around and sell individual cards for a profit margin. Some customers are going to several restaurants, unable to find a single Happy Meal. On sites like eBay, whole boxes of cards or sealed packages cost hundreds of dollars. It is unclear whether the boxes are being bought behind the scenes or are being stolen by employees.
@McDonalds @Pokemon I hope you do some kind of inventory control for your promotional Pokémon cards, as part of your inventory is being sold in sealed boxes, which means they won’t even reach your stores. Although the same thing happened with Tim Hortons Hockey as well. Retail $ 1.99 pic.twitter.com/kX8qZyRX2V
– redphoenixsportscards (@redphoenixcards) February 9, 2021
Yes …. this 28 year old grown man is hunting for McDonalds pokémon !!!!! Muahahaha !!!! I have to have everyone !!!!! Get out of my way, children! I laughed a lot pic.twitter.com/hxJ2CVmQLW
– ARCADEGAMER (@ARCADEGAMER_) February 9, 2021
@McDonalds stop allowing people to buy the Pokémon’s happy meal in large quantities. No one has more than 5 children. Let the general public have a chance.
– Jay Rech (@ JoeZ10ARG) February 9, 2021
I’ve been with (and friends) about a dozen @McDonalds trying to get just ONE pack of Pokémon cards and everywhere they said someone had already come and bought the whole lot. Looking on eBay, people are literally selling to make a profit. Can’t we allow that?
– Mr.ssippi (@Redeemed_Rebel) February 9, 2021
@McDonalds Correct the Pokémon birthday card promotion to prevent people from buying all the stock in a single transaction!
“Cannot be purchased separately” would help a lot!– LussCollects (@LussCollects) February 9, 2021
all those money changers literally made me want to give up on Pokémon, I’m so angry. as if I was spending $ 20 dollars to get a HCD chikorita card from MCDONALDS. thank you money changers
– Maggie (@Magskcrp) February 8, 2021
You certainly don’t have to be a child to appreciate a toy, and Pokémon’s nostalgia belongs to adults. Furthermore, not everyone is being a money changer or collector! Some people are trying to do something good even when buying multiple packages.
I decided to go to McDonald’s to get some of the new Pokémon Card packs! As it was not possible to buy the packages separately, I bought 10 happy meals and will distribute the food to the homeless in the region
If you just want the cards, do the same!#Pokemon #McDonalds pic.twitter.com/xPb7lNKQw0
– ✨JT Valor ✨ (@JT_Valor) February 9, 2021
If you are going to clean #McDonalds of your stock in #Pokemon cards make sure you buy the meal, not just the cards, and feed the people who need them. Stop buying boxes – there will be none at happy meals for the children who want them. pic.twitter.com/YrWDWS7AXJ
– anthony taddeo (@ taddeo91) February 9, 2021
Some bulk buyers are even experimenting a healthy dose of karma. But it is incredible to see the fervor around the cards reach such a feverish level that real children are unlikely to be able to obtain a product partially made for them as well. McDonald’s did not immediately comment to Polygon.