Relive Some McDonald's Nostalgia With Funko Pop! McNugget Buddies

McDonald's has always been a bastion of drool-worthy fried food with dubious nutritional value, but something about the chain during the late '80s was just better. The fries seemed crispier. The burgers tasted juicier. And the nuggets had faces. Oh, and they also wore little costumes.

We're talking about the McNugget Buddies, of course. These toys made their illustrious debut at McDonald's in 1988, and they totally changed up the Happy Meal game. If you missed out on the McNugget Buddies bonanza from a few decades back, you don't have to hit up eBay to find them anymore. Funko has recreated these memorable toys in Pop! form, so you can display these smiling hunks of nugget-shaped vinyl on your desk without venturing into the suspiciously pricey used Happy Meal toy market.

During their initial run, McDonald's Happy Meals featured two unique McNugget Buddies toys each week. These were basically plastic chicken nuggets with faces and clothing—you might get Rocker McNugget brandishing a guitar (with no arms) and wild hair. Or you might get Sparky McNugget, a firefighter with an adorable little helmet.

That was the genius of the McNugget Buddies. Each had its own wild personality and traits that kids and adults alike loved collecting. And what's more, their accessories were removable. If you decided you wanted to swap out the hats or "belts" on each nugget, you could collect them all and do just that. Not all the Buddies have been turned into Funko Pop! figures at this point, but you can choose from four available via Amazon right now: the cowboy, fireman, tennis player, or the rockstar. Each one costs around $10 and comes with the same outfit they debuted with when they first hit McDonald's.

Bring one home, and you can relive a bygone era of fun fast-food advertising without the calories.

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