By: Alex Love
In 1986, McDonald’s put a spell on the regular people of the world with plastic buckets that would change Halloween forever. The Happy Meal Boo Buckets were filled with fries, hamburgers, treats and more. After the Happy Meal was finished, the Boo Bucket could be used for trick-or-treating or saved as Halloween decor.
Over the years, official Boo Buckets have taken different forms. From blue, white, purple, and orange to glow-in-the-dark versions, there’s plenty to love and collect. Boo Buckets show a few Jack-o-lantern faces per bucket, so as you spin the bucket you see a different face. This July, McDonald’s got all of the Halloween fans out of bed by launching their Lil’ McDonald’s toy line.
Lil’ McDonald’s is the branding around the Happy Meal toys available for the 2025 summer. There are collections within the 2025 Lil’ McDonald’s line which include five food-themed Lil’ Happy Meal toys, four cook-themed Lil’ Happy Meal toys, four order-themed Lil’ Happy Meal toys, three outdoor-themed Lil’ Happy Meal toys, and five play-themed toys which is where the Lil’ Halloween Boo Bucket called McPunk’n comes in.
I know this is a lot of info so let me repeat this important part again: the Boo Bucket in the Lil’ McDonald’s line is called McPunk’n. I think I’m literally the first person to write about this. What’s special and iconic about the name McPunk’n being printed on the Boo Bucket in the Lil’ McDonalds line is that it pays homage to the original Boo Bucket that was released in 1986. The ghost of Boo Bucket past literally is here. This is what the OG Boo Bucket, McPunkn, from McDonald’s looked like:
So this isn’t just any Boo Bucket that McDonald’s is unleashing on the regular people of summer 2025, this is a miniature vintage replica of the first Boo Bucket ever, and so, it’s obvious we needed to get one in our possession before they’re all gone. IYKYK
If you want to find out how to get a Lil’ McDonald’s McPunk’n Boo Bucket this summer, read on, because I did it and it was no easy feat. The first thing to do is realize that McDonald’s has a way of organizing their Happy Meal toys. There are limited items and collections and it’s not like a random toy is just grabbed and placed in a Happy Meal box. So for that, you need to know what number the Lil McDonald’s McPunk’n Boo Bucket is. It’s number 8.
So now you must go to your local McDonald’s and roll up to that order window. Before even ordering, just ask if they have the #8 Happy Meal toy. Not all McDonald’s will have it. I had to go to four McDonald’s before I found a McDonald’s with the toy I wanted and needed. This one is in high demand and the first McDonald’s I went to, my mom and I were actually lied to! So don’t call or look it up because you want to suss it out in person.
I was told they did not have the #8 toy at all and then saw someone in the parking lot open one up. My assumption is other Boo Bucket enthusiasts are wiping out McDonald’s of these toys and the managers are trying to get creative to be fair to everyone and save some for the kids. My mom asked for it so there’s a chance the person working at McDonald’s just thought it was an adult trying to hog all the Halloween toys when she asked for the #8 toy. We couldn’t believe it when we saw someone else with it in the parking lot! But it just made us feel that much closer to finding one of our own.
Finally, on a hot July afternoon after I got out of school, my mom and I rolled up to McDonald’s and when she asked for the #8 toy, the answer was like music to our ears, “We actually have one left!” We cheered with excitement and sure enough, when we opened up our Lil’ McDonald’s toy box, it was there in its orange glory grinning back at me. It looks just like the original 1986 McPunk’n, except miniature. It also comes with a sticker sheet that includes a ghost, pumpkin, Boo Boxes, and Happy Meal boxes for decorating. It’s so perfect. I stuck them all over the mini Boo Box and even on my arm. I was one with Lil’ McPunk’n.
Here’s my Lil’ McPunk’n:
Photo credit: Alex Love
Hopefully you get lucky and can obtain your own official McDonald’s Number Eight Lil’ McDonald’s McPunk’n Boo Bucket (say it 5X fast). If you really want one, you should start checking McDonald’s in July. Mind you, the first McDonald’s I went to with my mom also told us they wouldn’t have these until October. It’s just not true! Give yourself a treat and don’t stop until you bring one home and don’t be tricked by our friends at McDonald’s if they tell you it’s not possible. You will eventually find one, if you start looking now.
McPunk’n Boo Buckets bring vintage back to Halloween and if you’re as into it as I am then there’s one other thing you should know about. There’s a glow-in-the-dark crossbody bag that is licensed by McDonald’s and it’s designed to look exactly the the original McDonald’s McPunk’n Boo Bucket from 1986. Here it is:
Loungefly McDonald’s Halloween McPunk’n Happy Meal Pail Crossbody Bag
This is what this girl’s dreams are made of… what are you doing this July?
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