Resellers cause chaos at McDonald’s Japan over new Chiikawa ‘Happy Meal’ toys
Reports have emerged of resellers/scalpers targeting branches of McDonald’s Japan to get their hands on the highly sought-after Chiikawa character toys currently available with Happy Meals.
Scalpers are reportedly purchasing large quantities of Happy Meals, often far exceeding what a typical consumer would order, with the sole intention of acquiring the limited-edition Chiikawa toys to resell them online at inflated prices.
This behavior has led to some frustration among genuine fans and families who are finding it difficult to obtain the popular collectibles due to the bulk purchases.
One video has appeared on social media which claims that resellers have been ordering huge quantities of Happy Meals for takeout and leaving the meals in the McDonald’s restaurant once they remove the toy.
Other images circulating on social media show bags filled with the Chiikawa Happy Meal toys, which are then lined up on the floor as they are being opened.
Japanese social media users are claiming that these resellers are Chinese, which suggests that the Chiikawa toys are being sought for sale outside of Japan.
The Chiikawa characters are incredibly popular both in Japan and internationally, thanks to their cute appearances and humorous behavior.
The “Chiikawa Happy Meal” was first revealed last month and includes toys designed by McDonald’s team members which include a variety of stationery items and practical objects.
These toys, designed by McDonald’s own team members, include a variety of practical stationery items and everyday use objects infused with Chiikawa’s charm.
The full line up of Chiikawa themed toys available with McDonald’s Happy Meals includes:
Chiikawa Drink Cup Pen Holder
Usagi Mini Pancake Case
Hachiware Tray Photo Frame
Rakko’s Driving Rolling Car
Hachiware McDonald’s Calendar
Chiikawa Memo Set
Usagi Sticker Dispenser
Momonga McDonald’s Sign Pencil Cap
These new Chiikawa toys are only supposed to be available at McDonald’s restaurants for four weeks from May 16th, but judging by the scale of the alleged reseller activity, many restaurants might run out before the end of the promotion.
Officially McDonald’s Japan has set a limit of four toys per person to ensure that as many customers as possible have a chance to get one.
It appears that some restaurants may be ignoring this limit or resellers have managed to find a work around by placing multiple orders either in-store or via the McDonald’s Japan app.
Source: McDonald’s Japan
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