Pokémon TCG McDonald’s 25th Anniversary Happy Meal Promotion Faces Scalping Surge

The Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) and McDonald’s have officially launched their highly anticipated 25th Anniversary Happy Meal promotion across the United States.

Designed to commemorate a quarter-century of Pokémon, this limited-time event offers Happy Meals containing exclusive Pokémon TCG packs, featuring 50 distinct cards—25 standard and 25 holographic versions.

As one of the world’s most iconic franchises, Pokémon continues its partnership with McDonald’s to delight fans while boosting awareness around the Pokémon TCG and Nintendo’s legacy in gaming merchandise.

While anticipation for the Pokémon TCG McDonald’s Happy Meal promotion had been building for weeks due to online leaks, the event’s official rollout saw a surge of collector and reseller activity.

Happy Meal boxes, intended for young fans and families, are rapidly being purchased in bulk and relisted across online marketplaces including Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay at marked-up prices.

Reports indicate that even entire unopened boxes containing 150 Pokémon card packs are appearing for resale, far exceeding the cost of a single Happy Meal, which typically starts at $3.49. As demand intensifies, select individual cards have begun selling for $10 or more, despite each Happy Meal pack including only four cards.

With a sizable set of 50 cards to collect, completing the collection is enticement enough for fans, yet the fervor has also created opportunities for scalpers seeking quick profits.

This scenario mirrors past phenomena in promotional collectibles, most notably the widely reported Beanie Babies Happy Meal craze of the 1990s—a market imbalance driven by adults buying in bulk, resulting in shortages and inflated aftermarket prices. A McDonald’s representative acknowledged the high demand, emphasizing that purchaser limits are encouraged and that Happy Meals are meant for families and children to enjoy.

However, with the ongoing surge in Pokémon TCG popularity and increased value for vintage and promotional cards in recent years, inventory shortages and aggressive reselling remain prevalent.

Some locations have reportedly sold out of Pokémon-themed Happy Meals within hours of restocking, leaving many parents and young collectors disappointed. Unless McDonald’s implements further measures—such as fixed-set sales or stricter enforcement of buyer limits—many fans will struggle to collect the full Pokémon 25th Anniversary card set via their local restaurants.

For now, finding coveted cards like Pikachu in-store may prove challenging until promotional supply stabilizes. The Pokémon TCG McDonald’s Happy Meal event exemplifies the enduring appeal of Pokémon and its power to unite, and sometimes divide, collectors and families alike.

As Nintendo and The Pokémon Company mark this milestone anniversary, hopes remain that future promotions will strike a better balance between fan enthusiasm and fair access.

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