You'll Now Have To Pay An Incredible Amount For A McDonald's Adult Happy Meal Toy
It's every child's birthright to express misplaced jealousy at just about every aspect of adult life. Most grown-ups don't have to do compulsory schoolwork or ask permission to hang out with their friends, a self-vindicating little one might argue. Adults can go to bed whenever they like without fear of reprimand, they can stare at an iPad to their heart's content, and they don't have to employ a burglar's stealth in order to swipe a few pieces of candy from a box at the top of the fridge.
But little do children know, their parents and guardians are likely a little jealous of them, too. When it comes to stopping for a meal at a fast-food restaurant, McDonald's Happy Meals may be the main source of that envy. Ever since the compact meal's 1979 debut, per Insider, the main draw of the Happy Meal (besides its affordable price) has undoubtedly been the individually-wrapped toys that come nestled between bites of chicken nuggets and apple slices.
In early October 2022, McDonald's announced its Cactus Plant Flea Market Box, a Happy Meal line made for adults. Per CNN, the meals are centered around plastic figures of the chain's nostalgic cast of characters that many will recognize from advertisements of yore, including the notorious Hamburglar. There's just one catch: Unlike the free Pixar- and Disney-inspired Happy Meal toys that don't cost a thing, these limited-edition collectibles are already going for thousands of dollars on resale sites.
Got an extra $300,000 lying around?
If you've been having trouble tracking down a Cactus Plant Flea Market Box at your local McDonald's, that's because it's already sold out. According to CNBC, the adult-catered Happy Meals designed in concert with the eponymous streetwear company were swiftly snatched up nationwide, prompting a full-fledged "bidding war" on eBay that seems to have lined the pockets of many a fashion-conscious entrepreneur.
Now, longtime McDonald's stans intent on decorating their mantles with figures of Grimace, Birdie, and the Hamburglar can buy the unboxed toys for a cool $300,000, per one now-sold listing. As of this writing, an active listing is asking for $25,000. Over on Grailed, one seller is offering the toy quartet's newest member — a yellow fellow dressed in a Cactus Plant Flea Market-designed McDonald's uniform — for $35,999, which is down from its original $44,444.
To put all that in perspective, a Cactus Plant Flea Market Box retails (or rather, retailed) between $10.79 and $12.95 depending on the location. The celebrity-minted streetwear brand behind the toys — helmed by Pharrell Williams insider Cynthia Lu, per GQ — is the undoubted culprit behind the exorbitantly-priced collectible status. If only Ronald McDonald were around to see this.