How the McDonald's Halloween 'Boo Buckets' Have Evolved Since the 1980s

McDonald’s Boo Buckets have developed something of a cult following over the years, and fans of the fast food chain eagerly await the release of the Halloween-themed buckets each year.

The festive buckets were first introduced in 1986, but were discontinued in 2016 – only to make a triumphant return to restaurants in 2022.

Below, we’ve rounded up some of the Boo Buckets of Octobers from the past, offering a glimpse into how the aesthetic of collectibles has changed over the past four decades.

McDonald’s Happy Meal Boo Buckets return for Halloween in 4 monster designs — with stickers to match

in 1987

McDonald’s Halloween buckets from 1987.

McDonald’s

The 1987 bins were classics – made in orange and black and in the shape of lamps. An early iteration of the product came in three variants: McBoo, McPunk’n and McGoblin. As an ad from the time promised, visitors could collect “three different Halloween pumpkins” and “get one with every Happy Meal” — while supplies last.

in 1989

McDonald’s Halloween buckets from 1989.

McDonald’s

The 1989 bins came in three shapes and colors. An orange and black jack-o’-lantern looked similar to years past, while a green witch-shaped bucket and a white ghost-shaped bucket offered new takes on the trend.

in 1990

McDonald’s Halloween buckets from 1990.

McDonald’s

The 1990 bins looked remarkably similar to the previous year, but with one important twist: the ghost glowed in the dark! As the ad promises, Halloween Happy Meals will “turn your mood around.”

in 1992

McDonald’s Halloween buckets from 1992.

McDonald’s

The witch, pumpkin, and ghost variants got a bit of a makeover in 1992, and each came with a lid that doubled as a Halloween-themed cookie cutter.

2011

McDonald’s Halloween Buckets 2011.

McDonald’s

In 2011, McDonald’s offered Boo Buckets that can be “tricked out” with an accompanying set of stickers that are affixed to each bucket. Two variants are presented: a pumpkin and a Frankenstein-like monster.

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in 2022

McDonald’s Halloween Bins 2022

McDonald’s

In 2022, the buckets returned for the first time since 2016, when they went into six-year retirement. The relaunch came with three Boo buckets: an orange pumpkin, a white ghost, and a green Frankenstein monster.

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in 2023

McDonald’s Halloween Bins 2023

McDonald’s

The green, orange and white bins are back in 2023 — along with a purple vampire character. That year, the green bucket was a monster, the orange a skeleton, and the white a mummy.

“They’ll be gone faster than you can say ‘boo,'” McDonald’s noted in a press release.

in 2024

2024 McDonald’s Boo Buckets.

McDonald’s

In 2024, the fast food chain announced that its Halloween buckets would return on October 15th. Participating venues will stock the fan-favorite Boo Buckets, which come as a Happy Meal but also as a trick-or-treat container.

The not-so-spooky bins feature four new designs this year: monster faces in white, orange and green, plus a new blue color. According to the press release, fans can also personalize their buckets with Halloween stickers.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education