Fast-food chain McDonald's is preparing to release a special series of Happy Meal children's sets dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Japanese Pokémon franchise. According to Wave RBC.UA citing the official Pokémon website, Ukraine will join the international campaign in December 2026. The exact launch date on the Ukrainian market has not yet been announced, but Poland, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, and several other countries will also join this launch wave.
First Customers Have Already Received the Collection
In some countries, the promotion has already started or will begin ahead of the December wave. Customers in Canada were the first to receive the new Pokémon Happy Meals on November 3, 2026. Throughout November, the collection will also be introduced in Australia, the US, France, Spain, New Zealand, and Fiji. Thus, by the time of the Ukrainian launch in December, the series will already be known and collected in dozens of countries worldwide.
15 Toy Boxes Instead of Traditional Figurines
This time, McDonald's has combined two types of collectible gifts in one children's set: a miniature toy and Pokémon Trading Card Game cards. A total of 15 toy models have been developed, and they fundamentally differ from traditional figurines. Each character is presented as a small plastic box designed according to its appearance: the design reproduces the characteristic colors and recognizable details of the Pokémon. The miniatures also have a practical purpose — thanks to a special attachment, they can be turned into keychains for keys, bags, or backpacks. The construction allows cards to be placed inside to display them.
Holographic Effect Cards with M26 Marking
A separate part of the collection will be 15 Pokémon Trading Card Game cards — not souvenir images, but official tabletop game cards with character stats. Seven of them will feature a special holographic confetti effect: Pikachu, Lucario, Mimikyu, Tyranitar, Jirachi, Palafin, and Chandelure. Another eight cards will have a regular finish, featuring Eevee, Snorlax, Absol, Zoroark, Metagross, Wooloo, Hawlucha, and Decidueye. All items are based on previous Pokémon TCG releases, but received a special M26 marking for McDonald's, indicating the 2026 collection and helping to distinguish it from other series.
Three Packaging Options and Weekly Release
The Happy Meal packaging itself has received thematic styling: three box variants featuring Pikachu, Umbreon, and Torchic are provided. The company plans to offer three new toy models weekly to showcase the entire 15-character series over five weeks. Whether a similar schedule will apply in Ukraine has not yet been specified by the company. The collection will be available for a limited time while supplies last. How long the promotion will last in Ukraine and how many sets will be prepared for the local market was not reported at the time of publication.
Country Differences and Open Questions for Ukraine
Despite the general concept, the contents of the thematic Happy Meals may vary depending on the country. In Canadian Quebec, for example, instead of a plastic toy, buyers receive a Pokémon sticker and a pack of four cards. For the US, an additional digital game is provided: QR codes will be placed on the boxes to access interactive entertainment. McDonald's has not announced whether this feature will be available to Ukrainian buyers. The price of the Pokémon Happy Meal for the Ukrainian market has also not been announced yet, nor is there information on whether the thematic toys can be purchased separately from the children's menu.
