What’s old is new again.
McDonald’s is bringing back an iconic Happy Meal toy after nearly 40 years.
The fast-food giant officially brought back the Changeables Happy Meal from the 1980s on Tuesday, giving fans a taste of nostalgia.
“Starting Jan. 27, the beloved toys that first stole fans’ hearts in the late 80s and early 90s will return to restaurants for a limited time, giving kids and grownups alike the chance to get one of 16 Changeables that transform into classic McDonald’s icons,” McDonald’s told Fox 8 in a statement.
Changeables, first introduced in 1987, are toys that transform from a McDonald’s item into a character. They are designed to look like menu items, drink dispensers, to-go bags, trash cans and so on — but they can be transformed into a variety of figures such as dinosaurs or robots.
The return of the beloved collectibles “[invites] a new generation of fans to discover the nostalgic experience that made it a fan-favorite.”
While the company didn’t offer many other details, a McDonald’s senior marketing director shared on X that the 2026 version of the Changeables are updated versions of both the robot and dinosaur designs from the original three released in 1987, 1989 and 1990.
“Changeables were — by far — the most requested Happy Meal program on X, across social media platforms and through customer service,” Guillaume Huin said in the post.
Huin noted that there will be a total of 16 characters to collect in the Changeables Happy Meal program, and each comes with its own name and catchphrase.
Last week, McDonald’s teased the return of Changeables on Instagram — and fans were ecstatic.
“Noice!! Bringing back the nostalgia!” one person wrote.
“Oh, these are AMAZING,” another said.
“90s inner me is so hyped,” a third fan shared.
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