Dorri Partain
Contributor

Munch on your favorite McDonaldland characters with this take-home box of cookies, complete with a handle shaped like the Golden Arches.

Featured in McDonald’s television advertising, Ronald McDonald began cohorting with a team of characters in a series of adventures in the fictional realm of McDonaldland – a magical place where the Hamburgler would try to steal hamburgers, while his accomplice Captain Crook would try to snag a free Filet O’Fish sandwich. Officer Big Mac and Mayor McCheese provided law and order, while the Professor created contraptions, including one that produced french fry-eating McGobblins (later renamed Fry Guys or Fry Kids).

Introduced in 1971, the marketing company Needham, Harper & Steers was tasked with the creation of additional characters to expand the popularity of Ronald McDonald, who first appeared in commercials in 1963.

Years after first consulting with puppeteers Sid & Marty Krofft about the creation of a fantasy land inhabited by costumed characters, the marketing firm was sued by the Kroffts for similarities to McDonalds’ Mayor McCheese and their character, H.R. Pufnstuf. The Kroffts won and McDonald’s was required to pay a fine based on revenue created by the character’s use and discontinue Mayor McCheese.

The two ounce box of cookies was similar to animal crackers in taste, with cookies shaped like Ronald, Grimace, the Hamburglar, and other McDonaldland characters. Introduced in 1974, each box had an activity on the reverse side, such as trading cards or finger puppets to cut out and play with at home. After the Happy Meal was introduced in 1978, packets of cookies were often included inside the meal box.

With the exception of Ronald McDonald, the McDonaldland characters and cookies were discontinued in 2003. This cookie box from 1976 has a Professor trading card on the reverse side; the cookies were baked by Keebler exclusively for McDonald’s.