The limited-edition meal features 12 collectible toys tied to Netflix’s new animated spinoff series.
McDonald’s is bringing Hawkins, Indiana, to the drive-through. The fast-food chain announced a limited-edition Stranger Things Happy Meal in collaboration with Netflix, timed to the release of the new animated spinoff series Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, which began streaming on April 23.
The partnership follows the conclusion of Stranger Things’ fifth and final live-action season earlier this year and marks the franchise’s expansion into animation. All 10 episodes of Tales From ’85 are now available on Netflix.
What the new animated series is about
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 returns to the familiar setting of Hawkins, Indiana, following Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max as they encounter new monsters and a fresh paranormal threat to their town. The characters are voiced by a new cast in the animated format. The Duffer Brothers serve as executive producers on the project, with Eric Robles as showrunner. Netflix describes the series as carrying the same heightened stakes and 1980s nostalgia that made the original a global phenomenon.
McDonald’s Launches New Happy Meal for ‘Stranger Things: Tales from ’85’ (Exclusive)
— People (@people) April 23, 2026
What comes inside the Happy Meal
Each Tales From ’85 Happy Meal includes a custom-designed box inspired by the series, one of 12 collectible character toys, a Stranger Things activity book, and a QR code that unlocks an interactive digital game. The game places fans inside Hawkins alongside Dustin and the newly formed Hawkins Investigators Club to help defeat the monsters threatening the town.
The 12 collectible toys are the draw for fans who have followed the franchise since the original series launched in 2016. McDonald’s has not released the full lineup of characters ahead of the meal’s availability date.
When and where the Happy Meal is available
The rollout is staggered across countries and will continue through August. Customers in Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Panama, Peru, and Slovenia can order the meal beginning April 28. U.S. and Puerto Rico customers will have access starting May 5. McDonald’s has said the meal will reach additional countries across multiple regions between now and the end of the summer.
McDonald’s second Netflix collaboration this spring
The Stranger Things Happy Meal is McDonald’s second major Netflix partnership in as many months. In March, the chain debuted a KPop Demon Hunters themed menu at participating locations. That collaboration featured three limited-edition items including a Spicy Saja McMuffin, Ramyeon McShaker Fries paired with 10-piece Chicken McNuggets and two exclusive sauces, and a Derpy McFlurry blending vanilla soft serve with blackberry popping pearls and wild berry sauce.
The back-to-back Netflix tie-ins reflect a broader strategy McDonald’s has leaned into over the past several years, using entertainment partnerships to generate short-term buzz and drive traffic to locations. For Stranger Things fans, the timing gives them something to do in the fast-food lane while they work through the animated series.