Major pickup yesterday: a McDonald’s operations manual from 1958, signed by Ray Kroc (just three years after he opened his first store). There are many copies without his signature (not to mention all of the reproductions), so acquiring this piece was really something special.

Here’s the countertop display for 1989’s New Food Changeables, the second of (now) four sets of “Transformers” featuring McDonald’s menu items. This piece would have been most kids’ first impression of the toy line - an icon in the making.

These McDonald's desk lamps might be the most elegant thing I've ever seen. Each piece was produced to order and cost upwards of $380 in 1986 - $1,100 in today's dollars.

Not sure if this McDonaldland character glass is a prototype or a bootleg, but the name “Big Mac Cop” is certainly making me lean towards bootleg. Still a fun piece.

The original box of McDonaldland Cookies featured a rare appearance of the four-armed Evil Grimace. Less than a year later, Grimace lost his two arms and was removed from the next generation cookie box design.

Here's the McDonaldland costumes available for in-store appearances in the mid-70s. To purchase one, it ranged from $570 (Ronald) to $3,000 (Grimace), so many stores just rented them for special events.

Happy Meal toys are so much better when they're mounted on a mini VHS tape box (Disney Video Favorites, 1998)

I like my McNuggets to come in two varieties: Chicken and HOT DOG! (1991)

Here’s something you don’t see everyday: a sleeve for the McDonald’s MCLOBSTER Sandwich!

The CHEDDAR MELT was one of the most unique burgers McDonald's has ever offered. The 1/3 lb patty was topped with grilled onions & cheddar cheese sauce and served on a rye bun. It came back at least six different times, making it one of their most frequent 80s/90s LTOs.

In 1998, McDonald’s Brazil released a Halloween McNugget Buddies set. The same character designs were used with glow-in-the-dark bodies in Australia at the same time, but the Brazilian versions are much, much rarer.

Nine years ago today, I stood in line for three hours to get a bottle of Big Mac Sauce. The local news station did a story on it and gave me an all-timer of a lower-third nameplate.

Ronald McDonald: Fashion Icon (1999)

Since everyone is freezing, let’s look back at 1998’s “Cold Days, Hot Deals” McDonald's promotion - you could get a Quarter Pounder with Cheese and pay just a penny for every degree of the prior day’s temperature.

The Chicken McNuggets VALUE PACK: Because even the simplest meals taste better wedged in a superfluous cardboard box (1985)

While many consider Changeables to be a rip-off of Transformers, McDonald's did test a licensed Transformers Happy Meal in St. Louis in 1985. The feedback was extremely poor, mostly because the toys didn't transform at all... it was just pieces of plastic glued together.

Since everyone is excited about the return of CHANGEABLES next week, I'll share something that has never been seen publicly. In 1991, one of the Happy Meal toys considered was a transforming MCDONALD'S PIZZA BOX! This would have been insanely cool! (original concept art)

It looks like on Tuesday, McDonald's is releasing its first set of CHANGEABLES in 35 years! This is not an "adult" promo, it's SIXTEEN toys available in regular 'ol Happy Meals, so a new generation of kids can appreciate a transforming menu of McDonald's food/drink packaging! (1991 set pictured)

The Big Mac brass belt buckle... a perfect accessory to complement your Big Mac hat! (1975)

McDonald’s had a knack for creating toys that kids couldn’t live without… most of the time. How an ARCHIES HAPPY MEAL got produced in 1988 (albeit regionally) is beyond me.

7UP GOLD was a cinnamon ginger soda that was rushed through test markets in 1987. Its national release saw a significant marketing push that confused consumers, since its caffeine content directly clashed with 7Up’s “Never Had It, Never Will” campaign.

The perfect hat doesn’t exi…

In 1997, Burger King reformulated their fries to better compete with McDonald's. For the campaign, they used Mr. Potato Head, who participated in some McDonald's campaigns in years past. These fries were pretty good, but in true BK fashion, they've changed the recipe since then.

A waving Ronald McDonald statue (with a bonus "burger patch") from the FIRST-EVER McDonald's Playland in Chula Vista, CA. Installed in 1971.

A waving Ronald McDonald statue (with a bonus "burger patch") from the FIRST-EVER McDonald's Playland in Chula Vista, CA. Installed in 1971.

Everyone loves the 90s McDonald’s version, but Taco Bell was the first place to offer BATMAN CUPS back in 1989. Also, bonus points for those Batman Cinnamon Twists. (1989)

Most remember the Super Mario Bros Happy Meal, but did you know that three months later, McDonald's also offered Super Mario Bros Game Watches? It was a three-week promo with only regional distribution - limited enough that I never come across these watches in the wild. (1990)

If McDonald's cherry shakes and sundaes are good enough for anthropomorphic cherries, they're good enough for you! (1979)

Spotted this 1975 Hamburglar costume mask at the McDonald’s archives recently. A super unique piece of history - I’m shocked it survived the last five decades relatively unharmed.

Mac Tonight didn't bust out the harmonica all that often, so this shirt is definitely something special (1988)

Two years ago, I passed on this 70s McDonald's hanging light fixture because I was concerned about the size of it. In the time since then, it fell from a shelf and broke into a hundred pieces. Lesson learned... don't pass up on the good stuff. Another relic lost.

This “meat evolution” McDonald’s register topper sign certainly is an interesting way to sell a Quarter Pounder. (1977)

One of the last Happy Meal promotions of the 80s was this set of Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers "Gadgetmobiles." Each vehicle was comprised of household items and the parts were interchangeable - some really fun toys. (1989)

Here's a full-fledged outdoor ballpit from when McDonald's did an overhaul of their PlayPlace designs in 1990. It's certainly interesting, but hard to imagine these not just being one big 'ol germ factory.

Released in 1975, the first “nuggets” McDonald’s introduced were ONION NUGGETS, which were typically offered exclusively from 4-9PM as an attempt to boost nighttime orders. By 1980, Chicken McNuggets were tested in Knoxville and the onion version began phasing out.

Supposedly, it tasted the same, but I firmly believe everything was better with green Heinz EZ Squirt ketchup (2000)

People always tell me that Ronald McDonald is creepy, but honestly, I don’t really see it. (“Light Stick,” 1998)

In 1983, McDonald's offered a popular set of Camp Snoopy souvenir glasses. Here's a crew mesh trucker cap from the promotion that I haven't come across before.

Between Speedee and Ronald, Archy McDonald was the McDonald’s mascot. The run was extremely brief, but it was long enough for them to release this Archy bead game… one of the first toys ever at McDonald’s! (1964)

Today, I'm reflecting back on my best/most important year as a collector. In 2025, I went on SIX large-scale McDonald's buying trips. Here are all of the results. March (Captain Crook Sea Bag, first test Happy Meal Box, Tiffany-style light fixture, Muppet Kids Display):

Bugs Bunny and the gang had no shortage of McDonald’s promos, but the Super Looney Tunes Happy Meal toy set might have been the best. Each toy came with its own snap-on superhero costume! (1991)

The Mac Tonight Baby Baby Grand Player Piano: For the tiny pianist in your life. (1988)

So cool. Always wanted to see one of these. I think its from a short-lived 1975 deal where if you bought a regular McChicken meal you could get a one piece, fries, and cookies for your kid as a McChicken Little Dinner.

Here’s an extremely rare piece of McDonald’s packaging I recently obtained but know virtually nothing about. My hunch is that it’s an early 70s piece, towards the tail send of McDonald’s referring to their bone-in chicken as “McChicken.”

Passing by a scrap yard in Austin, my wife said she saw a Hamburglar Cop. Well, she could use some work on the character names, but it turned out they had both an Officer Big Mac Cell and a Carousel! Cool to see these in the wild!

In 1989, some McDonald's locations ran a Garfield sweepstakes with the prize of a jumbo Garfield plush doll. I actually have an unused entry form drop box in my collection from a store that decided not to bother to do the contest.

A very Merry Christmas when a light-up Spuds Mackenzie from 1987 is waiting for you under the tree!

McDonald's has run dozens of holiday promotions, but I'm not sure any felt more Christmassy than Thing from the Addams Family guiding a sleighful of heavily discounted vhs tapes during 1992's Holiday Film Fest

One of McDonald’s first attempts at a kids meal was the “Mayor McCheese Bag,” a cheeseburger, fries and Cookies (at regular menu prices), served in a special bag. This is a countertop sign from the promotion… the only survivor I’ve ever seen outside of the McD’s archives. (1975)

Results of my final buying trip of 2025! A park regulations sign, Cookie dispenser, Grimace plaque, breakfast menu, TWO character windowpanes, Big Mac purse, translite signs, toys, a carousel Fry Guy plus much more. The perfect ending to a banner year for my McDonald's collection!