McDonald’s Happy Meals have long been a place where some of the biggest characters in kids’ entertainment find their way into the hands of fans. But lately, the Golden Arches have been getting a little more adventurous with exactly who gets to share that iconic red box.
After bringing together Hello Kitty and Godzilla, McDonald’s is continuing to diversify its Happy Meal offerings with another crossover that we certainly didn’t have on our 2026 bingo card.
Are you ready, kids? Because the Straw Hat Pirates are heading under the sea.
“SpongeBob SquarePants” and “One Piece” are joining forces for a new McDonald’s Happy Meal collaboration that brings together two massively popular, yet very different, worlds of animation. And after beginning its rollout internationally, the unlikely crossover is officially making its way to the United States.
The collection features 12 toys that reimagine residents of Bikini Bottom as characters from the long-running manga and anime series “One Piece.”
Rather than simply placing toys from both franchises inside the same promotion, the collection goes all-in on the crossover. SpongeBob and his friends are dressed as members of the “One Piece” cast, including Patrick Star taking on the role of Zoro, Squidward becoming Sanji and Mr. Krabs transforming into Jinbe.
It is the sort of strange combination that probably shouldn’t work nearly as well as it does. Yet with “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “One Piece” both known for colorful characters, over-the-top comedy and adventures that frequently take place on the high seas, maybe Bikini Bottom and the Grand Line aren’t quite as far apart as we thought.
The collaboration is part of a larger global McDonald’s rollout spanning dozens of countries, with participating markets receiving the Happy Meal at different times beginning this month. A specific launch date for the United States has not yet been announced.
The arrival also continues an especially interesting run for McDonald’s Happy Meals.
Just this month, U.S. restaurants launched another unexpected crossover bringing together Hello Kitty & Friends and Godzilla with eight collectible toys. That followed July’s BT21 Happy Meal, which marked the first time BT21 toys were offered through U.S. McDonald’s locations.
Now “SpongeBob” and “One Piece” are next in line, giving kids, anime fans and adult collectors alike something very different to hunt for.
It also shows just how broad the modern Happy Meal has become. While toys tied to the latest family movie or preschool series aren’t going anywhere, McDonald’s is increasingly pulling from anime, gaming, global entertainment brands and nostalgia-driven properties that can reach far beyond the traditional Happy Meal audience.
With 12 characters to collect and one of the most unexpected animated team-ups of the year, fans will want to keep an eye out for when this very peculiar crew finally sails into McDonald’s locations across the United States.