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Twelve fantastic McDonald’s tray covers.


New article, covering thirty years' worth of McDonald's history...as told by one dozen promotional tray covers. Once merely thought of as those sheets of paper that protected loose fries from tray grime, these tray covers are a window into fast food history, and a solid memento of those swank Batman Forever mugs McDonald's used to sell. Read it and weep.

Posted by Matt on 02/19/2007. E-mail me!



Discussion Thread: 255 comments

This article just made me really hungry. and i don’t even like McDonalds!

Chestnuts roasted by Joker @ 02/20/2007 1:15 AM

I spent a summer working at McDonald’s in high school. It wasn’t a very good experience as my boss referred to me as “white boy” and I had to clean up kid vomit at least twice a day. This particular McDonald’s was on the interstate near a regional hub, so this vomit was coming from all over the country. I quit after three months, after I was forced to clean the men’s bathroom after it experienced a full frontal attack of what I can only describe as unimaginably violent explosive diarrhea. I walked into my boss’s office and told them I was quitting and she said “White boy, you know if you don’t put in two weeks notice you can’t never [sic] work for McDonald’s never [sic] again.” I said “I won’t be losing any sleep over that, ‘mam.” and walked out.

Besides that, I fondly remember the Hot Wheels promotion. I had all of them EXCEPT the rocket car, something that has left me feeling like half a person for all these years.

I also still think about the Grand Poobah Meal to this day, as during that promotion my school took a field trip and we ate at McDonald’s and some guy was at the counter screaming “WHAT’S A GRAND POOBAH!? IS IT A SANDWHICH!?”

Chestnuts roasted by Wukong @ 02/20/2007 1:18 AM

McDonalds crossed paths with Power Rangers, Batman, and Atari? Where have I been?

Chestnuts roasted by Review the World @ 02/20/2007 1:18 AM

Heroes>>>>>24

Just saying….

Chestnuts roasted by Shuanfu @ 02/20/2007 1:29 AM

Wow, another full-fledge article! And so soon after the last one! Very nice, my friend.

Chestnuts roasted by Retro Playback @ 02/20/2007 1:39 AM

Heh heh. After I read the first paragraph I was thinking about suggesting the term “tray liners” on here.

Chestnuts roasted by RewolfJ @ 02/20/2007 1:59 AM

Oh my gods! You JUST reminded me that I used to eat my McNuggets with honey dipping sauce back in the day! I had completely forgotten that… No wonder they’ve never tasted as good since I started eating them again!

Chestnuts roasted by Justin @ 02/20/2007 2:06 AM

Also, my current boss recently got some McNuggets and asked for honey, but they didn’t give it to him. So he flipped out and made me go to McDonald’s and get honey for him.

I swear to God, McDonald’s is trying to drive me insane.

Chestnuts roasted by Wukong @ 02/20/2007 2:14 AM

Shamrock shakes are available in my city.

But my money is for clearance Valentine’s Day candy. I had the giant Reese’s PB cup heart with icing today, from Walgreens. Not bad atall.

Chestnuts roasted by kidneyboy @ 02/20/2007 2:44 AM

After almost two years of lurking I finally post!

I was stunned when I saw the Hot Wheels liner because I counted 8 of those cars that I had as a kid. (Including the rocket car!) The thing is, I never knew they were from McDonalds. My parents must have just picked them up and given ‘em to me at odd times. Ironically, Jester, I had a General Lee matchbox car but the cop car from McD’s was my Roscoe P.

And kidneyboy, Mrs. McWawa got me the Reese’s heart – not bad atall is a fierce understatement.

Chestnuts roasted by Yelnick McWawa @ 02/20/2007 3:00 AM

Hey WTF was up with McDonald’s putting the 6-piece McNuggets on the Dollar Menu for like a week back in January?

Chestnuts roasted by Mystie @ 02/20/2007 3:02 AM

Hey WTF was up with McDonald’s putting the 6-piece McNuggets on the Dollar Menu for like a week back in January?

It was probably part of their sinister plan. I’m not sure what it is exactly, but I know that it exists. I have encountered it’s machinations on more than one occasion.

Chestnuts roasted by Wukong @ 02/20/2007 3:10 AM

My mom wouldn’t buy me a Batman Forever mug, but she might have been trying to protect me from Val Kilmer. The introduction of the Arch Deluxe was actually a monumental event for me: At the time I was 9. After seeing the commercial that had something to do with the attic, I knew I had to try the sandwich. The thing that shocked me and my family is that I was going to get it with EVERYTHING on it! Typically I was beef only. Pickles, onions, ketchup, mustard, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes be damned! But when I saw that chicken sandwich, I had to try it. Eventually I had the courage to back up my bold claim, ate it, and I’ve had a very fond relationship with lettuce ever since.

RIP, Thuy Trang (aka the original Yellow Ranger). =’(

Chestnuts roasted by Ben @ 02/20/2007 3:16 AM

I, too, felt the Arch Deluxe was a moment of triumph. As a kid the only thing I’d ever get on my burgers would be mayonaise and cheese, but the idea of the Arch Deluxe struck me as a challenge; not only did it have a bunch of crap I’d never eat normally, it was ONLY FOR ADULTS! So I tried one and loved it. I was so sad when it was violently snatched from me later.

Does anyone have any idea how to re-create the Arch Deluxe sauce? I’d love to have that on a burger again.

Chestnuts roasted by Timmy @ 02/20/2007 3:51 AM

Don’t believe for a minute that the appearance of Roc Donalds in the Flintstones movie (which came out in 1994, not 1993) was a voluntary decision. McDonalds was into movie plugs back then, and not just there.

Sinbad’s movie “Houseguest” had him stuck at a vegetarian’s house. He sneaks away, finds a McDonalds, and runs to it gleefully in slow-motion while “Have You Had Your Break Today” plays in chorus. To clear something that shameless, that payoff must have cost a fortune.

And we can’t forget “Richie Rich.” Sure, the other kids were impressed with his roller coaster and dollar-spotted dalmatian, but HOLY $#@% HE HAS HIS OWN MCDONALDS???!!!??

History repeats itself, only nowadays it’s Burger King paying for placement in Fox programs. “Have it….YOUR waaay.”

Chestnuts roasted by Mars @ 02/20/2007 4:13 AM

Used to work at McDonalds. We called them “tray liners”. Of course, we also called people’s sandwiches “spittoons”…

Chestnuts roasted by Deadpool @ 02/20/2007 5:03 AM

Don’t know if any one said this yet but as a McD’s wage slave, I can tell you that they are called tray liners.

Chestnuts roasted by Cap'n Ducky @ 02/20/2007 5:08 AM

Guess I should actually read to the end of the article before posting a comment. My bad, and Matt good research.

Chestnuts roasted by Cap'n Ducky @ 02/20/2007 5:11 AM

Got me the Riddler mug, myself. Word.

Chestnuts roasted by Evin @ 02/20/2007 7:45 AM

Does anybody remember when McDonalds for a brief time served pizza, spaghetti and something else that escapes me?? That was weird…

Chestnuts roasted by Mattman @ 02/20/2007 7:57 AM

Awww….. so many McMemories.
Great article!

Chestnuts roasted by Jon @ 02/20/2007 8:00 AM

“…BAM, they cut to a shot of Tommy Lee Jones covered in cake icing, flipping coins. Plus he had lupus. You had to feel bad for Seal.”

Ahahahaha!
I’m pretty sure my grandparents have some of those Flintstone’s glasses, probably because my grandfather totally loved the way they look.

Chestnuts roasted by Denise @ 02/20/2007 8:20 AM

Ronald looks like he’s crying blood in the shamu place-mat

Chestnuts roasted by flabslapper @ 02/20/2007 8:56 AM

Nice OMEN reference there. May I say that X-E is really hitting its stride. The dead soda, the obscure Roy Rogers, and the hat-trick is complete with this little ditty.
One of the main things that the younger X-E crowd may not know (and you can see it on the breakfast tray-liner) is that the old school establishments used to sport yellow, brown, and orange as their colors. This gave way to the teal and red/purples of the late 80′s/early 90′s. I miss the tacky old colors.
There is still an old TACO BELL in town which has that old 1983 flavor.
Speaking of 1983, that is when the McNugget debuted, not 1982; otherwise how would we remember so well my 1979 brother. (Please forgive me for correcting but it’s that history teacher within me. :( )
Great article!

Chestnuts roasted by The Manimal @ 02/20/2007 9:00 AM

F-in awesome!! Do some more!!

Chestnuts roasted by g mon @ 02/20/2007 9:04 AM

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