When you’re a kid, few things are quite as exciting as convincing your parents to allow you to get fast food instead of eating a home-cooked meal. There are so many good things about fast food as a kid (that are still good now, let’s be real): cold sodas, hot French fries, chicken nuggets, milkshakes…the list goes on. And being able to get a Happy Meal was easily the best thing about being a kid and going to McDonald’s. Happy Meals meant one thing: you would get a toy. Looking back, these toys were usually pretty lame, silly, and small (unless you were collecting Beanie Babies — those were the sh*t), but when you’re little? They’re special, exciting, and very, very fun.
So it’s kind of weird to hear that McDonald’s restaurants in New Zealand serve Happy Meals that don’t come with toys. In fact, it’s almost upsetting! You might not be a kid anymore, and you may not even live in New Zealand, but that doesn’t mean you don’t want every other kid out there to enjoy the wonderful feeling that is figuring out which toy you just got with your food! But New Zealand has a different way of doing things, and before you knock it, it’s actually kind of amazing. In fact, it might even be better than a toy.
According to The Independent, McDonald’s restaurants in New Zealand are ditching toys for… books!
And not just any books. McDonald’s will be giving out Roald Dahl books with Happy Meals, which is somehow even more exciting.
In case you aren’t familiar with the name Roald Dahl, you’re probably familiar with his books. Dahl has written absolute classics, like Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, The BFG, and The Witches, just to name a few.
The initiative will be going on for the next six weeks. During that time, McDonald’s will be giving out 800,000 books by Dahl with Happy Meals, including Wonderful Mr. Willy Wonka, Matilda, Fantabulous BFG, Lucky Charlie Bucket, Brave Little Sophie and Marvellous Miss Honey. Each book will include part of the story from the original titles, plus illustrations by Quentin Blake, stickers, and activities.
The project is part of McDonald’s global Happy Meal Readers program, which has the goal of inspiring a love of reading in young children.
Jo Mitchell, director of marketing at McDonald’s New Zealand, said, “The Happy Meal Readers program is all about helping parents to get their children to enjoy reading. The Roald Dahl characters are ones that many parents will have enjoyed growing up, and it’s great to play a part in introducing them to a new generation.”
This isn’t the first time the Happy Meal Readers program has given books away with meals. According to Mental Floss, the program has given away about 450 million books since it launched in 2001.
It was first implemented in Sweden, and New Zealand has been taking part for about a decade now. There’s a similar program in Malaysia as well, and for that one, kids can choose between a toy or a book by English author Cressida Cowell.
There’s even a schedule of when each book will be given out, which you can find on The Independent, so if you want your kid to get something specific, you can plan your McDonald’s trip/vacation around that.
A lot of people on social media agree that this is a really amazing idea.
That is AWESOME!!!!!
— Iz_Luk (@IsabellSamaluk) February 6, 2019
Some pointed out that it’s a great way to get kids away from screens.
A lot of users agree it would be a great program for the United States.
Can we do this again in the States? Apparently they do this in Canada as well & the U.S. did briefly a few years ago. At least if kids get a fast food treat (hopefully not part of their regular diet), their brains will receive some good nutrition! 🙏📖📚https://t.co/6dUtjgI667
— Marie Cauley (@writerchickmc) February 6, 2019
Some people are even saying it’s inspired them to eat Happy Meals again. We don’t blame them!
McDonald’s is replacing Happy Meal toys with Roald Dahl books. Guess who suddenly only eating happy meals 😂😂😂 favourite author 😍
— ✨ kaitlyn ✨ (@kaitlynjane_) January 30, 2019
This tweet from 2015 shows they’ve given out Dahl books before. How adorable!
Mc Donald's are giving out Roald Dahl's books now.. Live pic.twitter.com/CbF7WYPOUc
— N/A (@444Pagenotfound) October 13, 2015
And this is so true: toys will be forgotten, but the books will make a lasting impression.
Those toys last a few minutes, Roald Dahl lasts a life time.
— Paro Anand (@ParoAnand) February 1, 2019
We have to agree: they need to start this program in the U.S.! Who’s with us?!
