McDonald’s brings back fan favourite meal in US after a two-year break

A new McDonald's Happy Meal toy is always cause for celebration and there's a treat in store for fans of the fast food chain with its latest announcement. One particularly popular collectible has made its comeback in the US, two years after it was last seen. Yes folks, it's time to welcome back the Squishmallow... (Picture: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

For the uninitiated, Squishmallows are one of the most popular toys in the world, with kids and adults alike flocking to collect the colourful plush creatures, each of which has its own unique backstory. They first appeared in McDonald's Happy Meals back in 2023 but McDonald's has now confirmed their return, with the plushes landing on Happy Meal menus as of May 13 (Picture: McDonald's)

'You’ve waited patiently for two years, and we want to let all collectors know, there’s a new squad on the block you won't want to miss out on,' McDonald's said. The chain is offering 12 characters in total with its Happy Meals, including one brand new toy - an intergalactic axolotl named Halley. The toys will also include character tags featuring their names and details about them, as well as a code which customers can scan to link to an interactive game (Picture: Getty Images)

Gerhard Runken from Squishmallow's parent company, Jazwares, added: 'Our first McDonald’s Happy Meal collaboration received such a massive global response that we’re bringing it back by popular demand for Squishmallows fans.' According to Today, you'll be able to snap up your Happy Meal squishmallow in branches across the US until June 6 (Picture: Getty Images)

The bad news is that as it stands the Squishmallow Happy Meals are only available in the US, meaning that fans in the UK can't currently get their hands on them. However diners on the other side of the pond do have another treat in store (Picture: Getty Images)

From May 14, the popular fast food chain reintroduced Pokémon-themed Happy Meals, which come with exclusive trading cards. Maccies has partnered with the video game franchise several times over the years, launching various collectible Pokémon cards and toys – and each time they cause a stir as fans try to catch ’em all (Picture: McDonald's)

As well as getting to enjoy a main item, a side, a drink and optional fruit upgrade, customers will receive one of eight different Pokémon cards with the meal. There’s also an activity sheet for youngsters to fill out and solve while eating. Those who don't want a toy can ask for a book instead - something which the chain has offered for a few years now to reduce its environmental impact (Picture: McDonald's)