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7 minutes of readingOfficially announced on 29 October 2026 by McDonald's and The Pokémon Company International, the Pokémon x McDonald's promotion starts on 10 November in the United States and will roll out to around 75 countries until February 2027. On the menu: 15 toys and 15 Pokémon TCG cards, with two cards in every Happy Meal. As in 2021, the hype is likely to be huge, and the same question comes up every time: are these cards worth anything?
The Pokémon Company International has published the worldwide rollout schedule, month by month. Only the US date is set to the day: in other countries, each local McDonald's will announce its own launch date.
According to reports, the promotion runs from 3 November to 7 December in Canada, from 5 November to 9 December in Australia and from 10 November to 14 December in the United States. These end dates have not been confirmed by McDonald's. UK and Irish fans will have to wait until February 2027. We will update this article as soon as each country's dates are announced.
Toys are available while stocks last: the busiest restaurants are likely to run out within the first few days.
McDonald's is putting Pikachu, Eevee, Charmander, Squirtle and Umbreon in the spotlight. As with previous promotions, most of the artwork is reused from existing cards, with numbering specific to the promotion (out of 15). Squirtle reportedly gets a brand-new card.
Two lists of 15 cards have been revealed, probably depending on the region. The exact split has not been confirmed yet:
Pikachu, Eevee and Snorlax appear in both lists. The number of holographic cards has not been announced yet. In previous promotions, some cards came in a holo version with a “confetti” effect, always more sought after than the regular version.
Let's be honest: individually, almost nothing. These cards are printed by the millions and usually sell as complete sets, for a few dollars to a few dozen dollars. The exception was the 25th anniversary promotion in 2021: the Happy Meal rush sent prices soaring for a few weeks before a sharp drop. Today, it is mainly the 2021 holo Pikachu and Charizard, in mint condition and graded, that still hold real value.
For the 2026 collection, three things will make the difference: the link with Pokémon's 30th anniversary, the popularity of the Pokémon and above all the condition of the card. To understand what really drives a card's price, read our article Why do Pokémon cards increase in value? And for all the 30th anniversary products (ETB, UPC, boxes), check our Pokémon 30th anniversary release calendar.
When do Pokémon cards arrive at McDonald's?
From 10 November 2026 in the United States. Canada and Australia started in early November, most of Europe follows in December, and the UK and Ireland in February 2027.
How many cards are in a Happy Meal?
Two cards and one toy per meal, for a collection of 15 cards and 15 toys.
Which Pokémon are in the collection?
McDonald's is featuring Pikachu, Eevee, Charmander, Squirtle and Umbreon. The two lists of 15 cards revealed so far are detailed above.
Will McDonald's cards go up in value?
Very little individually, as they are printed by the millions. Holo cards in perfect condition, especially graded ones, are the most likely to gain value over time.
The 30th anniversary McDonald's promotion is above all a great way into the hobby for young players and a nice keepsake for collectors. Take it for what it is: collect for fun, protect your best cards as soon as you open them and only grade perfect copies. We will update this article as soon as more release dates and the list of holo cards are confirmed.
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