McDonald’s Mario Happy Meal Review (2026) – Is It Worth It?

Let's eat some McDonald's! McDonald's just released their new set of happy meals in the theme of Mario & his friends, in conjunction with the release of the new Mario Galaxy movie coming out April 1. Naturally, we stopped by our local McDonald's to get one in person. There are a variety of new toys (keychains) that match the characters in the movie, from Mario and Luigi to Toad and Bowser Jr. 

McDonald's is often credited with establishing the concept of a kids meals. Growing up, it was always cool to open up that box and see what toy you got. Today, we ordered the Crispy Chicken Wrap Happy Meal, coming with a toy, yogurt, and choices of entree, side, and drink. You could also opt for a book instead of the toy. Other options for entrees include hamburgers and the popular McNuggets, and if you want a healthier option for a side, you could opt for apple slices or fruit instead of their French Fries.

Since we were there, we also ordered the Spicy Habanero McChicken, taking advantage of the $4 game day meal. Whenever the Canucks (hockey) play, they offer a burger at $4 (Big Mac, McChicken, Filet-o-Fish). So it made a lot of sense for us to pick one up as well. We went with the wrap, fries, apple juice, and toy / yogurt.

The toy and box are very cool. I've collected happy meal toys since childhood and find that McDonalds does the kids meals the best. We ended up getting Bowser Jr. I initially ordered the book but they didn't have it in stock yet so I just went with the toy. Tip: if you're wanting a specific toy, call the McDonalds ahead of time if you want it (so you don't end up with 20 toads). 

The Mario Happy Meal toy is a small collectible toy that can also be used as a keychain. I think this collaboration makes a lot of sense for McDonald's and can see many kids asking their parents to stop by the drive-thru on the way home from school. Other popular collaborations in the past include Hello Kitty, BTS, and last year they also did Mario, but the Mario Kart versions.

In total, for both items, the bill was under $10, which was decent value for a midday snack for the 2 of us. The food was tasty for what we ordered and the price we paid. The McChicken had a noticeable spicy kick from the sauce, but flavourful and the fries were tasty as always: salty, crunchy, and fluffy in the middle. The wrap was a little cold and very tortilla heavy - they should increase the chicken size or cut the wrap down in my opinion.

Overall, for under $10 for 2 people, it’s hard to complain—especially when you’re getting a meal, a toy, and a decent snack out of it. I know McDonald's gets a bad rap sometimes when it comes to their food, but when you have kids or just need a quick, affordable bite, it makes a lot of sense to dine there. They've been really pushing the value meals as of late: $5 or $6 gets you a combo with a drink: breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I do take price into account when reviewing because I'm not expecting kobe beef or prime rib at that price.

McDonald's is not gourmet by any means, but for a quick, budget-friendly bite with a bit of nostalgia, it definitely hits the spot once in a while. I do recommend ordering from the app as you can collect rewards points and accumulate them for food items.

Hits:

• Using the app presents significant savings and deals ($4 McChicken)
• Happy Meal at its current price is great value for kids (toy, yogurt, entree, side, drink)
• Quick, highly accessible and consistently decent with multiple locations

Misses:

• Quality of the chicken compared to other establishments is lower
• Wrap was so-so, proportion of chicken to the tortilla wrap is off (maybe skip the wraps)
• Need to eat ASAP; fries get cold quick so not ideal for takeout
• Ordering without deals or discounts is expensive

Final Rating: 4/5 - it's been a staple in our family and I liked the food but don't expect much at that price. What's next in our food adventures?