\n
![](\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/McDonalds_USA___New_Collectors_Meal-1.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/p>\n [ad_1]
\n<\/p>\n
Remember the anticipation of going to McDonald\u2019s, ordering your four-piece McNugget meal with an Orange Hi-C, and anxiously waiting to unveil the toy you received in your Golden Arches cardboard box? Now you can feel that same sense of splendor ordering a Collector\u2019s Meal\u2014a Happy Meal designed for an adult\u2019s appetite. Plus, they come with a collector\u2019s cup, just to further fuel your sense of nostalgia.<\/p>\n
McDonald\u2019s relaunched the Collector\u2019s Meal last week to \u201cunlock core memories around some of our favorite McDonald\u2019s moments,\u201d according to a company announcement<\/a>. And, much like the Teenie Babies craze<\/a> of the late 90s, people have already started reselling these collector cups<\/a> on websites including eBay<\/a> and Mercari at crazy markups. A cup you could receive in a $12 Collector\u2019s Meal<\/a> is reselling, in some cases, for more than $100. One seller on eBay appears to be selling a set of three cups<\/a> for a whopping $150.<\/p>\n Diners have a few options for a Collector\u2019s Meal: a sausage McMuffin with egg sandwich, hash brown, and hot coffee during breakfast hours; or a 10-piece chicken McNuggets or Big Mac with fries and a soft drink through the rest of the day. Prices vary by location, but generally fall in the $10 to $12 range.\u00a0<\/p>\n There are six cup designs appealing to both millennials and Gen Xers, including Barbie and Hot Wheels; Beanie Babies; Coca-Cola; Hello Kitty and Peanuts; Shrek, Jurassic Park and Minions; and a McDonald\u2019s themed cup with Grimace. But the upcharge on these special cups online could take away the fun from customers who want one, especially since this is a limited-time promotion and will only last as long as supplies do.<\/p>\n Guillaume Huin, a senior marketing director at McDonald\u2019s, has already warned consumers the supplies are dwindling.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Collector Cups are literally flying off the shelves faster than anything we could have anticipated or have seen in the past,\u201d Huin posted on X<\/a>. \u201cFriendly advice: if you want them, go to your local restaurant as soon as you can.\u201d<\/p>\n McDonald\u2019s declined to answer Fortune<\/em>\u2019s query on whether the company condones the resale of the Collector\u2019s Meal cups online, instead pointing to a statement from the earlier announcement.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s an undeniable thrill when you snag that one elusive McDonald\u2019s collectible or the final piece to complete your collection,\u201d Morgan Flatley, global chief marketing officer and head of new business ventures at McDonald\u2019s, said in the statement. \u201cWe\u2019re bringing back some of our most-loved keepsakes with a twist, giving fans a memory that they can hold in their hands.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n McDonald\u2019s new Collector Meals is one of the company\u2019s latest efforts to woo back price-weary customers. The chain reported a second-quarter revenue dip<\/a>, but also announced the launch of its limited-time $5 meal deal<\/a>, and an even-bigger Big Mac sandwich<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Other McDonald\u2019s patrons have also complained about the quality of the new Collector\u2019s Meal cups. The fast-food chain used to offer engraved glass cups, but their latest iteration appears to be made of plastic and not as durable.<\/p>\n \u201cMcDonald\u2019s: I want to know, how did we go from the nice heavy, engraved, glass\u2026 fancy schmancy, to this,\u201d TikTok user @littlemiss1stgrade said in a video<\/a> last week. \u201cLike, seriously? I\u2019m so disappointed. Even Burger King had better cups back in the day. Come on now.\u201d<\/p>\n So why do people even bother collecting McDonald\u2019s toys?\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWell, for a lot of people, it\u2019s about nostalgia. Maybe you have fond memories of getting Happy Meals as a kid and the toys bring back those warm, fuzzy feelings,\u201d author Jamie Shaw wrote in Collectorizing<\/em>, a publication highlighting the stories of collectors. \u201cThere\u2019s something special about holding onto a little piece of your childhood, even if it\u2019s just a plastic toy from a fast-food restaurant. Those Happy Meal toys can transport you back to simpler times when the biggest decision you had to make was whether to get a cheeseburger or chicken nuggets.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\nRecommended Newsletter:<\/strong> Subscribe to Next to Lead, Fortune\u2019s weekly newsletter offering expert leadership strategies and insights for every stage of your career. Sign up for free<\/a>.<\/div>\n