McDonald’s is changing the rules for customers buying Happy Meals. This is applicable for stores in Japan, and comes after the launch of the Pokémon meals there, which led to food wastage and fights.
The change comes as McDonald’s is launching four new Happy Meals sets, which will be available for purchase starting Friday.
What are the rule changes
The rule changes include limiting sales to three meals per group and restricting mobile orders. The company in their official statement said “McDonald’s does not tolerate food being left unattended or discarded. We strictly prohibit purchases or resale of Happy Sets for the purpose of resale, or other purchases for commercial purposes.”
As per the new rules, the fast-food chain is also suspending delivery and mobile orders for Happy Meals. On release day, only in-store and drive-thru purchases will be allowed.
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The latest toy launch features four new Saniro-themed Happy Meal sets. These include “Plarail,” “My Melody and Kuromi,” “Let’s Play With Cinnamoroll,” and “Moon Universe Nanchara Kotetsukun.” Saniro is the Japanese entertainment company known for offerings such as Hello Kitty.
Further, the fast-food chain warned that stocks would be limited and advised customers to refrain from asking about inventories at each store. The company also stated that policies could be reassessed after the first day, meaning rules could change further if chaos follows.
What happened in August
When Pokémon Happy Meals came in August, there was a rush of customers. As per Business Insider, there was wastage as food was discarded. Some customers bulk-bought meal deals and then sold them to Pokémon enthusiasts.
Reportedly, some of the Happy Meal toys were also listed on the country’s largest online resale marketplace, Mercari, at higher prices. At the time, the fast-food chain had said “McDonald’s does not tolerate the purchase of Happy Set for the purpose of resale, nor the wasting or disposal of food. This incident clearly goes against our long-standing philosophy of providing a fun dining experience for children and families, as well as our values as a restaurant.”