Pokémon cards return to McDonald’s Happy Meals on Nov. 5 for its 30th anniversary

Pokémon TCG cards come back to U.S. Happy Meals from Nov. 5 through Dec. 9, with a four-card booster in every meal. The 30th anniversary set has 15 cards, which is considerably smaller than the 25th anniversary set.

Pokémon cards are coming back to Happy Meals in November.

The promotion runs Nov. 5 through Dec. 9 in the United States, according to PokéBeach, the Pokémon news site that broke the details on Sept. 27.

Other countries are expected to get it too, with dates varying by region.

What’s in each Happy Meal

Every Happy Meal includes one four-card booster pack. Inside:

• One holo card

• Three non-holo cards

So you get a holo in every single pack guaranteed.

The set has 15 cards

There are 15 cards total to collect across the promotion.

Six of those are holo cards printed on confetti holofoil, the sparkly finish McDonald’s uses for these sets.

McDonald’s has not released the card list. Nobody knows which Pokemon appear yet.

The 25th anniversary set was more than three times bigger

For Pokemon’s 25th anniversary in 2021, the McDonald’s set ran 50 cards, including all 24 Starter Pokemon plus Pikachu, each available in holo and non-holo versions. That set became a collector benchmark.

The 30th anniversary set is 15 cards.

This does make it easier for collectors to gather the cards.

Expect reprints, not new cards

PokéBeach notes that in past McDonald’s promotions, the cards have always been reprints rather than original artwork.

That means the 15 cards will likely be existing Pokémon TCG cards reissued with the confetti holofoil treatment and McDonald’s branding, not exclusive new designs.

That’s how these sets have always worked. It doesn’t stop people from collecting them.

You can choose a toy or a book

Customers can pick either a Pokemon toy or a Pokemon Essential Handbook to go with the Happy Meal.

Pokemon cards are having a very big month

The Happy Meal drop lands in the middle of a busy stretch for the TCG.

The Pokemon Company launched its 30th Celebration expansion earlier in September. Every card in that set is foil, and it introduced a new rarity called Futuristic rare.

Demand has been heavy. The Elite Trainer Box from that set carries an $89.99 retail price and has been listed on TCGplayer starting around $150.

The Happy Meal cards are a different tier entirely. They’re reprints in a fast food promotion, not chase cards. But they arrive in a market where interest is running hot.

McDonald’s has been on a licensing run

Pokemon joins a crowded year of Happy Meal collaborations.

The chain ran a SpongeBob x One Piece Happy Meal starting Sept. 15, a Hello Kitty & Friends x Godzilla promotion in August, and a BT21 tie-in before that.

The Pokemon partnership goes back the furthest. It started in 2011 with Generation V toys, and trading cards were added in 2014.

Scalpers will have a field day

Expect these to sell out quickly as scalpers descend.

There have been reports that other drops saw cases of cards go out the back and end up on places like eBay.

Availability varies by restaurant. Not every location stocks every Happy Meal promotion, so it’s worth checking your local store once Nov. 5 arrives.

McDonald’s has not announced purchase limits. The promotion runs about five weeks, which is longer than most Happy Meal windows, and supplies last as long as they last.

Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.

Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Hat Tips:

• PokéBeach (Sept. 27, 2026), the exclusive report on the Nov. 5 through Dec. 9 dates, the pack contents, the 15-card set, the six confetti holofoil cards and the reprint history

• Quartz (Sept. 28, 2026), the toy or Essential Handbook option and the 30th Celebration expansion pricing

• Polygon (Sept. 28, 2026), the report that surfaced this coverage

• NinePocket (August 2026), the documentation that the widely reported February 2026 promotion never ran

• TheGamer and ScreenRant (2025 and 2026), the 2021 25th anniversary set size and the partnership history

AI Disclosure: All articles are assigned, edited and reviewed by an experienced human editor before posting. Like most modern newsrooms, WebReef Media uses a variety of AI tools to help with accuracy and efficiency. Ways AI may be used in article creation include research, grammar, fact-checking and ideation, as well as occasional AI generated or enhanced thumbnails or graphics. No articles are generated or posted without human oversight or involvement.