R.I.P. Happy Meal Boxes

So yesterday we had a Vane outing to Mickey D’s on a mission for Happy Meals. It was an attempt to rekindle the nostalgia over our childhoods when we would get that shit like every other day. We walk into the one on 2nd Ave an 96th Street, order, and are presented with some stupid looking tall bland bag of food posing as the cool colorful box that we were in search of. We felt gypped. Maybe this location had run out?

Later on we went to see Jackass 2 in Union Square and just for argument’s sake we visited a McDonald’s in the area to see what the deal was with the Happy Meals there. And gasp! Sure enough, they didn’t have the boxes either!

This makes me feel two things:
1) really really old. Its bad enough that I can now say: “When I was growing up, Pluto was still a planet,” but when I can now add “When I was growing up, McDonald’s used to serve their Happy Meals in these really cool boxes that were colorful, sturdy, and had really fun games on them, not the bags that you see today.” it causes me to hallucinate graying hairs in the mirror.
2) concerned at what lengths corporations are willing to go to save a buck. Come on now, the extra enjoyment I get out of being served my Happy Meal in that freaking box is so worth the extra couple of cents it takes to make it. . And imagine what it must do for the kids if a grown adult can recognize the added value in this. It makes me happy and proud that I work for Vane, and that I know we will never compromise quality or enjoyment to make/save a buck.

I’m switching to Burger King. At least there I can still get a gold crown on my birthday.