For many longtime McDonald’s customers, the playgrounds are a place of nostalgia. Still, with the modernization of most McDonald’s locations came the fall of the iconic McDonald’s PlayPlace, and now this child-friendly offering is fading away. Some might consider this to be right up there with McDonald’s worst mistakes ever, but at least there’s some good news: For those restaurants that do have this vibrant place of play, you can still take advantage of the perks we grew up with. For example, you can still book birthday parties at McDonald’s.
First off, be aware that not every McDonald’s location hosts parties. The only ones that do so appear to be those with an indoor or outdoor PlayPlace. Still, not even these are a guaranteed party venue, so check with the manager at the location near you before making a booking. You can find the phone number of your local McDonald’s online or on the McDonald’s app. For the sake of planning, have basic information ready to share such as your contact information, number of anticipated guests, and top dates and times.
The McDonald’s locations that do host parties might offer up some basic decorations, party favors, and even a cake, but again, this always varies per location. Even if they don’t provide it all for you, the chain does have free downloadable McDonald’s-themed invitations, thank-you cards, and party hats online. At the very least, you’ll have somewhere to start.
What a McDonald’s birthday party might look like
While every location’s birthday offerings are different, one San Antonio franchise has shared exactly what’s included in their parties online, and it evokes serious nostalgia for those of us who had Mickey D’s parties as kids. Every party in one of these San Antonio locations comes with invitations, 10 happy meals of your choice, and goodie bags for every guest. Ice cream and a birthday cake with candles are also provided (guests can bring their own cake if they prefer), along with placemats and party hats. Finally, while McDonald’s isn’t one of the fast food chains that offers birthday freebies, the birthday child will receive a special gift from Ronald McDonald. There are different party packages available as well, with different pricing tiers, and this franchise even has a party specialist on call to help you out.
While this is just an example from one location, it’s nice to know that community spaces like this still exist. And you never know — your own local McDonald’s might do something similar for birthdays; you just have to call to find out.
