McDonald's will run a Pokémon TCG Happy Meal promotion in the United States from November 5 to December 9, 2026, according to a PokéBeach exclusive. Neither McDonald's nor The Pokémon Company has confirmed it, and no cards from the set have been shown.
What is the reported McDonald's Pokémon TCG promotion for Nov 5–Dec 9, 2026?
The promotion is a Happy Meal x Pokémon TCG giveaway. PokéBeach reported in late September 2026 that it will run in the United States from November 5 to December 9, 2026 , tied to the Pokémon TCG's 30th anniversary. PokéBeach says the set has 15 cards, and six of them are usually holo .
Quick Answer: According to PokéBeach, McDonald's U.S. restaurants will put Pokémon TCG cards in Happy Meals from November 5 to December 9, 2026. The set reportedly has 15 cards, usually including six confetti-holofoil cards. McDonald's and The Pokémon Company had not officially announced it as of late September 2026.
Every detail so far comes from one outlet. PokéBeach called the report an exclusive. It said 15 cards will be available "as usual" but that the cards themselves are not yet known . The other outlets covering the story are repeating the PokéBeach report and do not cite any separate source.
Attractions Magazine reported on September 28, 2026 that "McDonald's and The Pokémon Company have not officially announced the promotion" and that the details "could change before the promotion begins" . As of October 9, 2026, we could not find an announcement page on mcdonalds.com or pokemon.com.
| Detail | Reported figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Market | United States | PokéBeach |
| Window | Nov 5 – Dec 9, 2026 (35 days) | PokéBeach |
| Cards in set | 15 | PokéBeach |
| Holo cards | Usually 6, confetti holofoil | PokéBeach |
| Cards per pack | 4 (1 holo + 3 non-holo) | Attractions Magazine, citing PokéBeach |
| Official status | Not announced | Attractions Magazine |
According to Attractions Magazine, each pack has four cards: one holo and three non-holo . In short:
- Reported: U.S. dates, a 15-card set, six holo cards and four-card packs.
- Not yet known: which cards are in the set, card artwork, and whether other countries will get the promotion.
- Not confirmed: any first-party statement from McDonald's or The Pokémon Company.
PokéBeach and Nintendo Life reported in December 2025 that a 30th-anniversary promotion was planned for around February–March 2026 . It is not clear how that earlier timing relates to the November U.S. window.
What is confirmed and what is only reported?
As of October 9, 2026, McDonald's and The Pokémon Company have not confirmed the promotion. Every detail of the November 2026 U.S. promotion comes from a single outlet. PokéBeach published it in September 2026 as an exclusive . We could not find a press release or announcement page on mcdonalds.com, corporate.mcdonalds.com or pokemon.com. Attractions Magazine says directly that the two companies "have not officially announced the promotion" and that the details "could change before the promotion begins" .
| Detail | Reported value | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dates | November 5 – December 9, 2026 | PokéBeach | Reported only |
| Market | United States | PokéBeach | Reported only |
| Set size | 15 cards | PokéBeach | Reported only |
| Holo cards | Usually 6, confetti holofoil | PokéBeach | Reported only |
| Pack format | 4 cards (1 holo, 3 non-holo) | Attractions Magazine, citing PokéBeach | Reported only |
| Toy or "Essential Handbook" option | Claimed by some aggregator posts | No traceable source | Unverified; PokéBeach does not report it |
| Card list | Not revealed | PokéBeach | Unknown |
Sources for the table: PokéBeach for the dates, market, set size and holo count . Attractions Magazine for the pack format .
PokéBeach also said that the card list is still unknown:
"As usual, 15 cards will be available, although we don't know which cards will be featured yet," — PokéBeach (source: PokéBeach, 2026-09)
Some secondary headlines describe the report as an announcement. Two examples are Quartz and its syndicated version on Yahoo. Nintendo News Hub covered the same report. None of these outlets links to a statement from McDonald's or The Pokémon Company. Each one traces back to PokéBeach. Until a first-party page goes live, treat the details as reported plans, not an official schedule.
Other countries are also unconfirmed. Some coverage suggests that markets outside the U.S. may run their own versions, with different dates. No source we could verify gives a country list or regional dates. Past McDonald's TCG promotions have used different dates in different countries. In December 2025, Nintendo Life wrote that dates for the 30th-anniversary promotion would vary by country . Collectors outside the U.S. should wait for a local McDonald's or Pokémon announcement before planning around the November 5 date.
What does each Happy Meal pack contain?
Attractions Magazine says each Happy Meal will include one four-card Pokémon TCG booster pack, with one holo card and three non-holo cards . Its report repeats PokéBeach's exclusive (source: Attractions Magazine, 2026-09). Neither McDonald's nor The Pokémon Company has confirmed the pack format.
PokéBeach reported that the holo cards are printed on confetti holofoil, the speckled foil McDonald's has used on its earlier TCG promotions. It said there are "usually six different holo cards available" (source: PokéBeach, 2026-09). Attractions Magazine also says six cards will carry "the special confetti holofoil finish" .
Here is how the set breaks down, based on the reported figures:
- Total cards: 15, according to PokéBeach
- Holo cards: 6, on confetti holofoil, according to PokéBeach
- Non-holo cards: 9. This is our own math (15 minus 6), not a reported figure.
- Cards per pack: 4, made up of 1 holo and 3 non-holo, according to Attractions Magazine
With one holo per pack and six holos in the set, a collector needs at least six packs to get every holo. That only works if no holo repeats. Pull rates and distribution have not been reported, so the real number of packs needed is not known.
The four-card format is the same as McDonald's January 2025 Dragon-type promotion. In that run, each Happy Meal held a booster with four of 15 available cards, plus a poster and a sticker sheet (source: McDonald's Corporate, 2025-01). No source we could verify says whether the November packs will come with similar extras.
Some write-ups claim buyers will choose between a Pokémon toy and a "Pokémon Essential Handbook." Others say the toy may double as a card display. We found no first-party or PokéBeach source that confirms either claim, so treat both as unverified until McDonald's announces the Happy Meal contents.
Which cards are in the set? Nothing has been shown
No card list for the November promotion has been made public. PokéBeach reported that 15 cards will be available but said it does not yet know which cards will be featured (source: PokéBeach, 2026-09). The featured Pokémon, the card art and whether the cards are reprints or new artwork have not been confirmed.
Neither McDonald's nor The Pokémon Company has released card images. Attractions Magazine notes that the promotion has not been officially announced and that the details "could change before the promotion begins" . Until one of the two companies publishes a checklist, any list of named cards is a guess.
Several claims are circulating online, and none has been confirmed:
- Named cards: Some lists name Charizard, Pikachu and Miraidon. We found no PokéBeach or first-party source for these names. They may be carried over from earlier McDonald's sets. Treat them as speculation.
- Reprints vs. new art: Some write-ups describe the set as either reprints or brand-new artwork. None of the sources we reviewed confirms either version.
- Set size of 50: Some guesses put the set at 50 cards, based on the 2021 anniversary set. That figure does not match the 15 cards PokéBeach reported.
The 50-card guesses come from 2021. For the 25th anniversary that year, Pokémon.com announced a "25th Anniversary Special Edition" McDonald's set of 50 cards (source: Pokémon.com). U.S. promotions since then have used smaller sets. In January 2025, McDonald's described 15 available cards, with four in each booster pack (source: McDonald's Corporate).
The one detail PokéBeach gave about the cards is about the finish, not the names. It said the holo cards are always printed on confetti holofoil and that there are usually six different holo cards . Which Pokémon get those six holo slots is still unknown.
How does this compare with earlier McDonald's Pokémon TCG promotions?
If PokéBeach's details are accurate, the November 2026 set follows the usual recent U.S. format of 15 cards. The 25th-anniversary run in 2021 was the exception. Pokémon.com announced a "25th Anniversary Special Edition" booster for Happy Meals with a 50-card set (source: Pokémon.com).
After 2021, the sets were smaller. McDonald's and Pokémon ran "Pokémon TCG: Match Battle" Happy Meals in 2022 and again in 2023. The 2023 run had 15 cards and lasted through October 16, 2023 (source: Pokémon.com).
The most recent U.S. promotion found in first-party sources started on January 21, 2025, with a Dragon-type theme. Each Happy Meal came with a booster pack, a poster and a sticker sheet. Ordering through the app unlocked bonus items in Pokémon TCG Pocket . Pokémon.com said that promotion ran through late February 2025 (source: Pokémon.com).
| Period | Promotion | Set size / format | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 25th Anniversary Special Edition | 50 cards | Official (Pokémon.com) |
| 2022 | Pokémon TCG: Match Battle | Not specified in available sources | Official |
| 2023 (through Oct 16) | Pokémon TCG: Match Battle returns | 15 cards | Official (Pokémon.com) |
| Jan–late Feb 2025 | Dragon-type themed Happy Meal | 15 cards, 4 per pack | Official (McDonald's) |
| Feb–Mar 2026 (reported Dec 2025) | 30th-anniversary promotion | Not detailed | Reported only |
| Nov 5–Dec 9, 2026 (U.S.) | 30th-anniversary promotion | 15 cards, usually 6 holo | Reported by PokéBeach only |
The timing has also changed. In December 2025, PokéBeach and Nintendo Life reported that a 30th-anniversary promotion would run around Pokémon Day, roughly February into March 2026, with dates varying by country (source: Nintendo Life). The September 2026 PokéBeach report puts the U.S. window at November 5 to December 9 (source: PokéBeach). It is unclear whether the earlier window was for other markets or the promotion was moved.
The sources available for this report do not cover the U.S. promotions before 2021, so this comparison starts with the 25th-anniversary set.
What should collectors watch before Nov 5?
Collectors should wait for an official announcement from McDonald's or The Pokémon Company before treating the details as final. As of October 9, 2026, the U.S. window of November 5 to December 9 comes from one outlet, PokéBeach, which called its report an exclusive .
Before launch day, check for these four things:
- A first-party announcement. The January 2025 Dragon-type Happy Meal was announced on McDonald's own corporate site (source: McDonald's, 2025-01) . A similar page from McDonald's or Pokémon.com would confirm the 2026 promotion.
- A card list. PokéBeach reports 15 cards, six of them confetti holofoil, but it has not named any of them . Until an official list appears, any list going around should be treated as unverified.
- Your local restaurant. Ask your nearest McDonald's on or around November 5. No source covers how stock or timing will be handled at individual restaurants, and participation can vary by location.
- Changes to dates or contents. Attractions Magazine says the information "is preliminary and could change before the promotion begins" .
No source has reported anything about demand, sell-outs or resale prices for this set. Any such claims before launch are guesses.
In short, the reported window is November 5 to December 9, 2026, but it rests on one outlet. Wait for a first-party announcement and an official card list before planning purchases around it.
Frequently asked questions
Is the McDonald's Pokémon TCG Happy Meal promotion officially confirmed?
No. As of October 9, 2026, neither McDonald's nor The Pokémon Company has officially announced it. The details come from one outlet, PokéBeach, which published them as an exclusive report . Attractions Magazine repeated the report and noted that "McDonald's and The Pokémon Company have not officially announced the promotion" .
When does the McDonald's Pokémon card promotion start and end?
PokéBeach reports that the promotion will run in the United States from November 5 to December 9, 2026 . Nobody else has confirmed these dates yet. Attractions Magazine says the information "is preliminary and could change before the promotion begins" . An earlier report from December 2025 had a different window, roughly February to March 2026, so treat the November dates as provisional.
How many cards are in the McDonald's Pokémon set and how many are holo?
According to PokéBeach, there will be 15 cards to collect. Usually six of them are holo cards printed on confetti holofoil . Attractions Magazine reports that each Happy Meal pack holds four cards: one holo and three non-holo . That matches the January 2025 U.S. promotion, which also used four-card packs from a 15-card set .
Which Pokémon cards are in the McDonald's set?
No cards have been revealed. PokéBeach said it does not yet know which cards will be included . Card lists naming specific Pokémon are circulating online, but none of them come from McDonald's or The Pokémon Company, so treat them as speculation until an official checklist is published.
Will the promotion come to countries outside the U.S.?
That is not confirmed. The September 2026 PokéBeach report covers only the United States . In December 2025, Nintendo Life reported that a 30th-anniversary McDonald's TCG promotion was in the works, with dates that would vary by country . No first-party source has given dates for any other market.
SnapHolo prices for the cards and sets in this article
| Card | Edition | Rarity | SnapHolo price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mew R | English | RGB Rare | $6,000.27 |
| Mew B | English | RGB Rare | $3,746.75 |
| Mew G | English | RGB Rare | $3,738.75 |
| Mew ex 152 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $89.90 |
| Gengar ex 154 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $75.35 |
| Pikachu ex 150 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $58.32 |
| Mew ex 158 | English | Futuristic Rare | $52.32 |
| Mewtwo ex 151 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $50.27 |
| Pikachu ex 149 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $47.47 |
| Jirachi ex 155 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $43.46 |
| Sylveon ex 153 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $42.79 |
| Mewtwo ex 157 | English | Futuristic Rare | $41.44 |
| Greninja ex 148 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $21.12 |
| Salamence ex 156 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $15.71 |
| Fuecoco ex 147 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $14.97 |
| Maushold 146 | English | Illustration Rare | $10.53 |
| Meowth 144 | English | Illustration Rare | $9.92 |
| Galarian Meowth 141 | English | Illustration Rare | $7.15 |
| Alolan Meowth 139 | English | Illustration Rare | $6.68 |
| Zapdos 133 | English | Illustration Rare | $6.57 |
| Moltres 130 | English | Illustration Rare | $6.00 |
| Articuno 132 | English | Illustration Rare | $5.85 |
| Lapras 131 | English | Illustration Rare | $5.74 |
| Morpeko 135 | English | Illustration Rare | $5.21 |
| Hisuian Zorua 145 | English | Illustration Rare | $4.78 |
| Mew ex 66 | English | Double Rare | $3.07 |
| Toxtricity 134 | English | Illustration Rare | $2.63 |
| Pikachu 40 | English | Pikachu Rare | $2.48 |
| Drifloon 136 | English | Illustration Rare | $2.47 |
| Alolan Exeggutor 129 | English | Illustration Rare | $2.24 |
Ungraded card prices as of 2026-10-18 (KST).
Sources: PokéBeach · Attractions Magazine · Nintendo Life · Quartz · Yahoo · Nintendo News Hub · McDonald's, 2025-01 · Pokémon.com · Pokémon.com (2) · Pokémon.com (3)
