McDonald’s Japan has apologized for canceling a Happy Meal promotion that included coveted Pokemon cards after resellers hurried to purchase the meals and then threw them away, leaving rubbish outside of their locations.
The meals were intended for children and were referred to as Happy Sets in Japan. They included a Pokemon card and a trinket, like a small plastic Pikachu. According to accounts in the Japanese media, they sold out in a day.
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Food scraps were discovered in mounds next to the shops.
We don’t think food should be left behind or thrown out. This circumstance contradicts our long-held restaurant concept of providing families and kids with an enjoyable dining experience. In a statement released on Monday, the business acknowledged that its preparations had fallen short.
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McDonald’s stated that it was devising strategies to avoid a recurrence of the incident, including restricting the quantity of meals that one individual may purchase and discontinuing online orders. Customers who don’t follow the regulations may be denied service, it warned.
We promise to get back to the core of the Happy Set’s mission, which is to make families smile so we can support the healthy growth of kids’ bodies and hearts, who are our future, the business stated.
In many locations, Pokemon card collecting is popular among both adults and kids, with the most sought-after cards fetching $1,000 or more.
When the meals featuring Pokemon cards went on sale, McDonald’s restaurants had unusually high numbers. Later, the cards were being sold online for as much as tens of thousands of yen, or hundreds of dollars.
Happy Meals have been offered by McDonald’s for almost 40 years. They typically retail for 510 yen ($3.40) in Japan.
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