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Deals & Collabs

McDonald’s Stranger Things Happy Meal: Every Toy, Where to Watch ‘Tales From ’85’ and Release Dates

  • The Launch: Tuesday, May 5, 2026 (U.S. Release)
  • The Deal: 12 Limited-Edition Animated Character Figures (2 New Weekly)
  • The Show: Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 (Netflix Original)
  • The Streaming Home: Netflix (All 10 Episodes Streaming Now)

If you feel a chill in the air while pulling into the drive-thru today, don’t panic—it’s just the Upside Down taking over the Golden Arches. Tomorrow, May 5, McDonald’s officially launches the Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 Happy Meal. This deal between the world’s biggest fast-food chain and Netflix’s most iconic franchise is designed to celebrate the new animated spinoff that just dropped on April 23.

Here’s what you need to know.

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The Full 12-Toy Character List

McDonald’s isn’t dropping the entire set at once. To keep the frequency high, they are revealing two new characters every week. The collection features stylized animated versions of the Hawkins gang as they appeared in the winter of 1985.+1

  • Confirmed Characters: Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Will, and Max.
  • The Extras: Each meal comes in a custom Upside Down Box and includes a Stranger Things activity book.
  • The Digital Layer: Use the QR code on the box to join the “Hawkins Investigators Club.” It’s an interactive AR game where you help Eleven and the gang save a local McDonald’s from a Demogorgon infestation.

Where Can I Watch ‘Tales From ’85’?

To understand the lore behind the toys, you’ll need to head to Netflix.

  • The Series: Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 consists of 10 animated episodes.
  • The Timeline: It is set between the events of Season 2 and Season 3 of the original live-action series.
  • The Episodes: The episodes clock in at 30 minutes each and serve as the perfect high-fidelity bridge for fans waiting on more live-action content.

Global Rollout Dates: When Does it Hit Your Market?

If you aren’t in the U.S., here is the current schedule for the Stranger Things takeover:

  • May 5: United States, Spain, France.
  • May 7: Germany, Austria, Netherlands.
  • May 8: Portugal, Thailand.
  • May 15: Italy.

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Featured Photo: McDonalds

Author Bio

Jael Rucker is the founder of Decked Out Magazine. She has previously worked as the Associate Commerce Editor at PureWow, focusing on analytics and trends to pitch stories and optimize articles that build and engage their audience. Her work has also been seen in Footwear News and WWD. Prior to 2024, she was the style and pop culture editor at ONE37pm for over three years, contributing numerous product reviews, brand profiles and fashion trend reports, which included interviewing Steph Curry, Snoop Dogg and more.

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