McDonald's HK sparks citywide frenzy with Chiikawa Happy Meal launch

McDonald's Hong Kong has sparked a citywide frenzy with the launch of Chiikawa-themed "Happy Meal" toys, attracting massive crowds and overwhelming digital queues with over 20,000 people.

Available from 28 July to 11 August, the limited-edition collection includes eight figurines of popular characters, such as Chiikawa, Hachiware and Usagi. Customers can either order the Happy Meal through the designated event banner on the McDonald's app and redeem the meal and toy with a QR code at participating stores, or they can purchase the meal in person at the store.

On Monday morning (28 July), the Chiikawa Happy Meal triggered lines exceeding 100 people at branches such as Olympian City consisting from teens to seniors carrying toddlers with McDonald's implementing crowd control measures, according to Sing Tao Headline. 

Meanwhile, other McDonald's locations across the city such as Kowloon Station and Quarry Bay, also saw increasing crowds purchasing the Happy Meal. McDonald's implemented crowd control measures, according to TOPick. Staff said there are about 200 toys available at the Kowloon Station branch, but they were uncertain about the quantities at other stores.

While the McDonald's app also opened for orders at the same time, the app shows a queue of over 20,000 at peak, according to the reports.

Meanwhile, several netizens took to social media platforms such as Facebook and Threads to express their experiences with purchasing the Happy Meal on the McDonald's app. Some reported difficulties, including not receiving a confirmation email after their purchase, while others noted that the buying process was quicker than they had anticipated.

Don’t miss: McDonald’s Japan cancels third wave of Chiikawa meal sets amid toy reselling chaos

In fact, the previous Chiikawa Happy Sets sale in Japan caused a frenzy among fans and scalpers, leading to chaotic scenes. Back in May, McDonald’s Japan cancelled the planned third wave of Happy Sets featuring Chiikawa toys after some consumers had bought large quantities of meals just for the toys, discarding the food.

Online footage from X reveals piles of leftover breakfast meals at McDonald’s stores in Japan, with some people leaving the food untouched on countertops, in-store, or even throwing it in the trash, taking only the toys. Moreover, photos depict alleged scalpers filling large plastic bags with numerous Happy Meal toys.

The Chiikawa frenzy in Hong Kong came as excitement grows for the upcoming "CHIIKAWA DAYS" exhibition, taking place from 1 to 24 August. It will feature over 100 3D sculptures, a giant inflatable sculpture, and recreations of signature manga scenes.

Apart from CHIIKAWA-themed Happy Meal toys, McDonald’s Hong Kong is also serving up a limited-time summer menu to celebrate the upcoming exhibition. Starting 8 July, the lovable Chiikawa and friends are shown along with the "Ebi Burger Series" at McDonald's restaurants, allowing everyone to fully immerse themselves in charming and whimsical daily lives.

Photo courtesy: Threads account @man_usagi1014

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