McDonald's

The History of McDonald's and Hot Wheels die-cast cars.

McDonald's has attempted to develop promotions for children, since 1961 with small related plastic toys, in their Happy Meals. The first models of cars distributed for McDonald's started in 1983, using the Hot Wheels models of the normal line and followed all the way through 1990. In 1991 McDonald's found another way to distribute the Hot Wheels in their Happy Meals for the first time. Some of these were Hot Wheels by Collector Number and were also placed in a factory plastic baggie for the first time. Since then, some annual promotions related the models of cars had been made. They had enclosed models like, Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Stompers 4X4, Tonka and Bigfoot toys.

Below will show a list by "Year", starting with 1983, Model, and will link you to the page of the Casting Name to get more of a comprehensive detail of the Hot Wheels Die-Cast car. Also will show the differences between East Coast and West Coast, as part of their promotions.

= 1983 Both East and West Coasts =

1983 West Coast Only
= 1988 =

= 1990 =

= 1991 First Time in Happy Meals= Almost all these were in Hot Wheels by Collector Number Series, except No. 2, No. 3, No. 6 and No. 7.



= 1993 Hot Wheels Racing Series=

1993 Totally Toy Holiday Set
There was really only one true Hot Wheel in the Totally Toy Holiday Set 8 piece set. That was the '57 Chevy Tatoo Machine, 03/08.

= 1994 =

= 1995 = 1 through 8 are missing because they were Barbie Dolls'

1995 Totally Toy
Both '57 Chevys came with a Blue plastic Ramp in a baggie, and No. 1 is the Model as the year before with alligator graphics. The Hiway Hauler (1992) was more towards the holidays and was Limited to 7,000 Pieces, Commemorating 5 years of Mattel and McDonald's Happy Meal Promotions

= 1996 =

= 1997 =

= 1998 = 1 through 4 are missing, because they were Barbie Dolls and included in the Baggie of the Hot Wheels were stickers, to put on the sides and trunk.

= 1999 =

=2000=

2000 (1st Half of the Year)
There where 20 toys in this line but 10 of them where Barbies.

In this set there where 16 Toys but toys number: 4, 8, 12 and 16 Where not cars they where; A key clip launcher toy launcher, a Hot Wheels Key Chain, a Hot Wheels stop watch and Binoculars.

= 2001 =

= 2002 =

= 2003 =

= 2004 =

= 2005 AcceleRacers = 

= 2006 =

= 2007 =

= 2008 =