McDonald’s Japan Pokémon Card Fiasco: What Went Wrong?

In August 2025, McDonald’s Japan launched a special Happy Set campaign featuring limited-edition Pokémon cards, including an exclusive Pikachu card. However, instead of a celebration, the event quickly spiraled into chaos.

Scalpers bought large numbers of Happy Sets, food waste became a public issue, and customers were left disappointed. What went wrong, and how could McDonald’s prepare for the next promotion?

A History of McDonald’s Japan Promotions

McDonald’s Japan has a long history of using limited-edition promotions to attract customers. Happy Set (known in the United States as “Happy Meal”) toys have included characters from global brands like Pokémon, Disney, and Hello Kitty, as well as Japan-specific favorites such as Anpanman. However, the sheer popularity of some campaigns has made them difficult to manage. High demand often leads to shortages, long lines, and resale markets taking advantage of scarcity.

Recent years have shown that promotions tied to significant pop culture icons are especially risky. In early 2025, the Happy Set featuring Chiikawa and Minecraft: The Movie caused such a frenzy that McDonald’s had to restrict purchases and cancel a planned third wave. Around the same time, a collaboration with One Piece was canceled after the Pokémon fiasco, with people worried about McDonald’s repeating the same mistakes.

What happened?

The “Happy Set” campaign ran from August 9 to 11, pairing toys and Pokémon cards with each meal, including a Pikachu card nicknamed “Burger-chu”. Collectors, resellers, and fans rushed to McDonald’s locations to grab as many as possible. Some individuals bought 10 or more meals to collect the cards, leaving the food untouched. Restaurants quickly ran out of stock, lines grew overwhelming, and social media was filled with angry reactions.

McDonald’s apologized and ended the campaign early, admitting insufficient preparations. McDonald’s underestimated how the Japanese love for Pokémon and trading cards could fuel such a frenzy. Instead of bringing joy to families, the campaign created stress for staff and customers. With growing concerns about wasted food, many criticized the company for not anticipating these outcomes. They were not lovin’ it.

Key Challenges

Scalping and Reselling

One of the most significant issues was scalpers buying Happy Sets in bulk. Instead of children and families enjoying the cards, many were resold online at inflated prices. This undermined the spirit of the campaign and left loyal customers feeling excluded. Collectors who couldn’t secure cards often blamed McDonald’s for not controlling purchases. Scalping turned a family event into a profit-driven market.

Another challenge was enforcing fairness across thousands of stores. Some restaurants attempted to limit purchases, but it was inconsistent without a clear national rule. Online and drive-thru orders made bulk buying even easier. As a result, scalpers had the upper hand while families lost out. The lack of structured limits created frustration for both staff and customers.

Food Waste and Public Backlash

A second problem was the amount of food discarded. Many buyers only wanted the cards and threw away the meals. In Japan, where food waste is a sensitive issue, this quickly became a major public concern. Images of untouched burgers and fries in trash bins spread online, adding to the backlash. What should have been a fun event ended up highlighting wastefulness!

McDonald’s reputation also suffered because the company’s values clashed with the outcome. Happy Sets are meant to bring joy to kids, not encourage waste. Parents expressed disappointment, saying the promotion set a poor example. With public criticism rising, the issue became more than a marketing failure. In Japan’s food-conscious society, this backlash was especially damaging.

Underestimating Demand

McDonald’s also miscalculated how popular the cards would be. Pokémon has an enormous fanbase in Japan, and exclusive cards are highly collectible. Stores were unprepared for the overwhelming crowds and quickly ran out of stock. Staff struggled to manage lines, causing long waits and frustration. Customers left empty-handed, while others posted angry comments online.

Demand forecasting is critical for promotions of this scale, but McDonald’s did not anticipate the surge. Without phased rollouts or distribution plans, the situation spiraled out of control. The shortage fueled even more scalping as scarcity increased the cards’ value. This left families without access to the campaign. In the end, underestimating demand made the problems far worse.

What could have been done differently?

McDonald’s had several options to manage this campaign better. Setting strict purchase limits per person would have slowed down scalpers and given families a fairer chance. Instead of allowing people to order through the app, cards could only be given through in-person orders. Staggering releases over multiple phases might also have eased pressure on stores.

The company could also have addressed food waste directly. For example, they might have encouraged donations of uneaten meals or required in-store pickup to reduce bulk orders. Stronger line control and stock management planning could have prevented many problems. These steps would have allowed families and children to enjoy the campaign while keeping it fun.

What can we take away from this event at McDonald’s Japan?

The McDonald’s Pokémon Happy Set fiasco shows the risks of poorly planned promotions. While the campaign generated excitement, it created waste, frustration, and damage. The company lost control of its event by underestimating demand and failing to limit scalpers.

However, with better planning, these challenges could have been avoided. Future promotions can still succeed, but only if lessons are learned from this mistake. Did you participate in this McDonald’s campaign? Were you disappointed with how it was handled? Let us know in the comments below!