McDonald's Announces Happy Meal Sales Method Starting September 12 - First Day Limited to "In-Store & Drive-Thru Only," Purchase Limited to 3 per Group

1. Key Points of the Official Announcement (Concise Version)

• Sales Channel Restrictions (First Day): On 9/12 (Friday), sales are limited to in-store and drive-thru only. Mobile orders and delivery are suspended (including mobile orders for drive-thru pickup). Decisions for sales from the 13th onward will be based on the sales situation on the 12th. McDonald's

• Purchase Quantity Limit: Up to 3 items per group per transaction (4 or more items are not allowed, and multiple purchases by the same group are also not allowed). First phase: 9/12–9/15, Second phase: 9/26–9/28. McDonald'sImpress Watch

• Target Lineup (4 types): Toys "Plarail," "My Melody & Kuromi," Picture Book "Let's Play with Cinnamoroll!", Encyclopedia "Moon Space Something Kotetsu-kun." Toy types cannot be selected. Sales end when stock runs out. McDonald's+1

2. Background: Why "Sales Method and Quantity Restrictions" Now?

In August 2025, McDonald's Japan's Pokémon card related Happy Meal campaign ended earlier than planned due to mass purchases for resale and food waste/abandonment. This was covered by international media, sparking a wide discussion on the need for measures against resellers. The new rules aim to prevent recurrence, balancing demand by restricting both the "entry" and "quantity" with suspension of mobile and delivery on the first day + up to 3 items per group. The Straits TimesVICEKotakuYahoo!

3. Details and Objectives of the Current Operation

3-1. "Face-to-Face and Drive-Thru Only" on the First Day

By stopping mobile orders and delivery, the aim is to prevent "instant evaporation" on the app and mass simultaneous orders, bringing sales back within the scope of in-store visual confirmation and queue management. Especially on the first day, when demand tends to concentrate, limiting sales to in-store and drive-thru is expected to enable visualization of inventory and deterrence of fraudulent multiple transactions. Adjustments will be made based on the situation from the 13th onward. McDonald's

3-2. Quantity Limit of "Up to 3 Items per Group"

Setting the limit on a "group basis" rather than per person is a practical design to deter proxy purchases and multiple transactions. It is applied specifically during the 7 days of the first and second phases, preparing for both the initial demand peak and the resurgence peak. McDonald'sImpress Watch

3-3. "Toys Cannot Be Selected" and "No Stock Inquiries"

By making selection unavailable, the aim is to prevent excessive bias towards specific popular items and reduce mass purchases for the purpose of opening. Prohibiting stock inquiries to stores is also to avoid excessive call load and hoarding of stock. McDonald's

4. Target Products (Lineup) and Schedule

• Toys: "Plarail," "My Melody & Kuromi"

• Happy Set (Books): "Let's Play with Cinnamoroll!" (Picture Book) / "Moon Space Something Kotetsu-kun" (Encyclopedia)

• Start of Offer: From September 12 (Friday) until stocks last

• Quantity Restriction Days: First phase 9/12–15 / Second phase 9/26–28

• Note: Toy types cannot be selected and are non-exchangeable. McDonald's+1

5. Differences with Overseas: Apps/Delivery and "Fair Ordering"

5-1. USA: Apps and Delivery as Standard Options

In the USA, Happy Meals can be ordered via app, and delivery through McDelivery (such as Uber Eats) is commonly available. The approach in Japan to suspend mobile/delivery uniformly on the first day is an exceptional measure. McDonald's+1

5-2. UK & Ireland: Single Toy Purchase and "Fair Ordering" Policies

In the UK, single toy purchases are allowed (subject to stock and theme restrictions). In Ireland, the Fair Ordering Policy states that "additional toys after purchasing a Happy Meal are limited to 1 per transaction," aiming to prevent excessive hoarding. Japan's **"3 items per group" + "first-day app/delivery suspension"** is more robust due to its focused application during the target period. McDonald's+1

5-3. Global "Resale and Food Abandonment" Issues

Globally, the cycle of hoarding for resale targeting limited toys and cards is recurrent. Japan's early termination and enhanced measures had a significant impact by highlighting the issue of food discarded outside stores as a social external diseconomy. VICEKotaku

6. "Tips" from a Consumer Perspective—Avoiding Crowds and Practicing Good Manners

1. On the first day, it's "face-to-face or drive-thru only": Avoid peak hours from morning to noon and visit during off-peak times. Families are treated as the same group, so plan bulk purchases within the range of 3 items × types. McDonald's

2. Toys Cannot Be Selected: Multiple transactions or re-queuing are against the rules. Agree within the family on "who is okay with anything" as toys are non-exchangeable. McDonald's

3. No Stock Inquiries: Unofficial stock information on social media may lack accuracy. Avoid excessive traveling and adhere to operational rules at nearby stores. McDonald's

4. Appropriate Food Purchases: "Leaving food for the sake of toys" is not acceptable. Purchase within your means and ensure you can consume the amount. McDonald's

7. From the Perspective of Store Operations

App Suspension→Focus on Face-to-Face tightens on-site