McDonald’s is serving up a serious nostalgia hit with its brand-new McDonaldland Meal, a throwback feast launching nationwide on August 12 that’s bound to make grown-ups feel like kids again — only with bigger portions and a pink-and-blue shake on the side.
The meal comes with a Quarter Pounder with cheese or a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, fries, and the debut Mt. McDonaldland Shake, which the chain describes as “a secret concoction.” PEOPLE got early access to the new release and confirmed the blue base of the shake has a raspberry kick, while the pink whipped cream tastes like creamy vanilla.
A Box Full of Memories — and Collectibles
It wouldn’t be a Happy Meal without a surprise inside, and this adult version doesn’t disappoint. Each McDonaldland Meal comes in colorful “Welcome to McDonaldland” packaging, decorated with beloved characters like Ronald McDonald, Grimace, Birdie, Hamburglar, and the Fry Friends. The bag even has a crossword puzzle packed with McDonaldland trivia for extra fun.
Mayor McCheese — the top-hat-wearing burger politician who hasn’t been seen since 1983 — makes a comeback as one of the six collectible tin themes. PEOPLE’s early meal included the Mayor McCheese tin, which held a postcard of “Town Hall” (a cheeseburger-shaped building), a sticker declaring “McCheese is my mayor,” and a miniature “passport” listing his hobbies as playing cello and tailoring.
The keepsake evoked the pure joy of cracking open a Happy Meal toy or celebrating a birthday under the Golden Arches.
A Nostalgic Shake With a Mythical Backstory
The Mt. McDonaldland Shake is inspired by the “blue lava and pink clouds of the mythical volcano,” adding an almost fantasy-world twist to its sweet flavor profile. It’s both eye-catching and dessert-level indulgent — exactly what you’d expect from a grown-up Happy Meal treat.
McDonald’s Knows How to Press the Nostalgia Button
This isn’t McDonald’s first retro revival of the year. Just last month, on July 10, the chain brought back its much-missed Snack Wraps in Spicy and Ranch flavors after being discontinued in 2016. The original debuted in 2006 and lasted a decade before disappearing from menus.
With the McDonaldland Meal, McDonald’s is proving that childhood joy doesn’t have an expiration date — it just comes with more fries and a fancier shake.