The Worst Fast Food Movie Tie-Ins
Fast food and movies should be a match made in heaven, but sometimes studios and chains create disasters that make you wonder if anyone was paying attention at all. From burger toys that nobody wanted to collectible cups that always spilled everywhere, these tie-ins promised fun but delivered pure confusion. Kids begged their parents, fans queued for a taste of excitement, and everyone left disappointed and slightly bewildered. Some promotions were bizarre, others downright terrible, yet all are painfully memorable for the wrong reasons. Get ready to cringe, laugh, and remember why some fast food collaborations are best left on the cutting room floor.
Star Wars Holiday Special Poster Giveaway at Burger Chef (1978)
Posters that reminded fans that the Holiday Special was the true Sith of Star Wars.
He-Man Cups at Burger King (1984)
Kids wanted to be the Master of the Universe, but their cups leaked faster than Skeletor's evil plans, turning every sip into a watery tragedy.
Cabbage Patch Kids Meals at McDonald’s (1984)
Plastic dolls so terrifying they made actual cabbage seem appetizing.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame Toys at Burger King (1996)
Handing kids a hunchback figurine? Even Quasimodo rang the bell of “bad idea.”
Star Wars Phantom Menace Collector Cups (1999)
Every fan wanted Darth Maul’s face, then realized it faded after two dishwasher cycles.
Batman & Robin Mr. Freeze Cups at Taco Bell (1997)
Plastic cups that sweated frost, ruining every car seat faster than Arnold ruined Batman.
Gremlins Figure at Hardee’s (1984)
Hardee’s gave out Gremlins figures that smelled faintly of fries, turning every unboxing into a sticky, mischievous surprise.
Ghostbusters Bike Accessories at McDonald’s (1990)
Kids got Ghostbusters bike accessories that promised ghost-chasing fun but mostly ended up tangling handlebars and ruining spokes.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzas at Pizza Hut (1990)
Cold pizzas sold in movie theaters proved that turtles should never be chefs.
Back to the Future Part II Sunglasses at Pizza Hut (1989)
Plastic sunglasses that broke faster than Marty’s timeline, lenses scratched before you got home.
Back to the Future Toys at McDonald’s (1991)
Proof that even time travel can't fix a cheap plastic Happy Meal.
Starship Sippy Madness
Pizza Hut served interactive Star Trek cups in 1993–94, each topped with tiny starships and gadgets that turned every sip into a miniature space battle.
The Flintstones Meals at McDonald’s (1994)
Oversized stone-age boxes that couldn’t fit in trash bins, fossils before the food was finished.
Ghostbusters II Slime Drink at Hardee’s (1989)
Green slime soda that looked radioactive and tasted like melted candy corn tragedy.
Jurassic Park Dino Cups at Taco Bell (1993)
Dino cups leaked faster than a T-Rex chasing jeeps, leaving sticky soda puddles everywhere.
Batman Forever Glass Mugs at McDonald’s (1995)
Heavy glass mugs for kids? Nothing screams “family fun” like a Batman concussion.
Smurfs Figurines from BP Gas (1983)
Tiny Smurfs collected grime faster than fries, turning “cute” into “car ashtray filler.”
Fozzie’s Fragile Glass
McDonald’s handed out Muppets glasses in 1981 that shattered faster than Fozzie’s punchlines, turning dinner into a comedy of errors.
E.T. Reese’s Pieces Packs (1982)
Hershey’s promoted E.T. with Reese’s Pieces candy, turning every checkout line into an alien snack mission.
Star Wars Glasses at Burger King (1977)
Frosted glasses looked epic, until every dishwasher turned them into blurry, sad space blobs.
