McDonald's Boo Buckets Return October 21

The Boo Buckets come free with any Happy Meal purchase. Each one features a different spooky character with its own “creepy, kooky and cute” expression, according to McDonald’s. The buckets double as both a Happy Meal container and a reusable trick-or-treat pail for Halloween night.

This marks the fourth consecutive year McDonald’s has brought the Boo Buckets back after initially retiring them. They returned in 2022 and have reappeared every year since.

The Boo Buckets follow the same pattern as other McDonald’s promos: limited availability, nostalgic appeal, and multiple designs to collect. Parents buying Happy Meals might grab one or two, but collectors wanting all five will pay to skip the drive-thru runs.

McDonald’s limited-time collectibles have a solid track record on the secondary market. Earlier this year, we covered their McDonaldland souvenir tins reselling well enough that you could essentially eat for free by flipping the tin. Before that, the 2024 Collector Cups hit eBay for $20 to $50 shortly after launch.

Right now it’s too early to see concrete resale data since they haven’t launched yet, but the precedent is there. If you’re near a McDonald’s on October 21 and want to test the waters, grabbing a few different designs is low-risk.

McDonald’s drops the Boo Buckets on October 21. Based on how their other limited collectibles have performed this year, there’s a decent chance these move on the secondary market. Keep in mind Happy Meals run around $5 to $6 depending on location, so factor that into any potential profit.