McDonald's and other restaurant chains are embracing the spooky season with special Halloween merchandise.
The Golden Arches are bringing back their popular Boo Buckets, but with an evil twist this year. Starting Tuesday, Oct. 20, the new Boo Buckets that come with Happy Meals will feature Disney villains.
But McDonald's isn't the only restaurant chain getting in on the Halloween action. Dunkin' Donuts and others have rolled out Halloween-inspired goodies and collectibles.
Let's take a look.
McDonald's Boo Buckets feature Disney Villains
The new Boo Buckets Happy Meal will be available at participating restaurants starting Tuesday, Oct. 20, for a limited time.
In 2026, the Happy Meal comes in one of five Boo Buckets featuring imagery of some favorite Disney villain characters: Jafar from "Aladdin,"
Ursula ("The Little Mermaid"), Scar ("The Lion King"), Cruella ("One Hundred and One Dalmatians"), and Maleficent ("Sleeping Beauty").
Each pail comes with a lid inspired by the Disney villain shown on the bucket and stickers featuring "iconic characters and details true fans will recognize," McDonald's says.
The Boo Bucket, which replaces the usual Happy Meal box, has been a Halloween tradition at the fast-food giant, returning periodically since it was first offered in 1986. The first Boo Buckets were a trio of orange pails, each with one of threescary expressions.
Where to find Halloween goodies
McDonald's is not the only game in town when it comes to Halloween merchandise. Here is a rundown of where to find spooky collectibles and Halloween fun at popular restaurant chains.
Wendy's
Frosty Fright character collectibles return to Wendy's for the third year. This spooky season, Wendy’s Kids’ Meals feature 12 Frosty Fright collectible figures, including six main characters and their 6 Halloween-colored variants, according to Wendy's. They are: Numb Chuck, E.A.T (Exceptional Alien Treat), Sir Choc-O-Lot, Shiver Wing, Taran Chilla, and Cold Foot. A 13th character will be made available only through Wendy’s Rewards.
Each character comes with a sticker sheet and mini trading card in a full-color themed meal bag. For the little ones, a book featuring Frosty Frights characters is available.
Jack in the Box
Jack in the Box has teamed up with "The Simpsons" to bring back the Munchie Meal of Horror, based on the iconic Treehouse of Horror specials. Along with special menu items, the collaboration includes six special-edition glow-in-the-dark cups available with the Munchie Meal of Horror while supplies last.
Each cup features a different "Treehouse of Horror"-inspired design, with characters including Hugo (Bart’s evil twin brother), Krusty the Clown, Marge, Kang and Kodos, and more. Munchie Meal packaging has also got the spooky touch, with characters and Easter eggs from past Treehouse of Horror episodes.
Dunkin Donuts
Dunkin' saw what was happening at the Golden Arches and said, "Hold my Chocolate Frosted." This year’s Halloween lineup at Dunkin' Donuts includes an all-new purple glow-in-the-dark Munchkins Bucket filled with a random assortment of 50 Munchkins donut holes, including a new sprinkle Halloween treat.
A Mystery Boo Box includes one surprise collectible: a Spider Donut Squish, Pin Set, Acrylic Keychain, or Bandana. Dunkin' fans can also check out the Spidey D Collection, which includes Spider Donut-inspired merchandise: apparel, accessories, collectibles, and décor.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Boo Buckets and beyond: Where to score Halloween goodies
