X-Entertainment | Twelve fantastic McDonald’s tray covers.

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

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I know, Kingklash. I’m just saying that you’ve mentioned it to the point where I really want to see it. Believe me, I search everytime I hear you mention it. You’ve got me fascinated.

Chestnuts roasted by K- @ 02/20/2007 5:39 PM

I remember when my aunt worked at McDonald’s,she gave me a few Hot Wheels for my birthday that were left over from a recent promotion. Since this was in ’86 or thereabouts,it wasn’t from the promotion in the pictured place mat,so no rocket cars.

Chestnuts roasted by Dantheman (formely Overlord) @ 02/20/2007 6:03 PM

1996′s “Super-Size Your Way To The Super Bowl” Can’t be from 1996 unless they were intentionally referencing a Super Bowl from a year prior. Super Bowl XXIX can clearly be seen in the picture on the box of fries. Super bowl 29 was played after the summation of the 1994 season. So unless McD’s was really referencing an old Super Bowl which I find really hard to believe they would do , there is an error here.

Chestnuts roasted by Joseph Robertson @ 02/20/2007 6:46 PM

Chestnuts roasted by dohopoki @ 02/20/2007 7:19 PM

The link to the article with the picture of the McDLT is wrong. It’s /articles/092/, but should be /articles/0962/ like the McNuggets pic.

-Just tring to help. Big fan.

Chestnuts roasted by Ben Lorenz @ 02/20/2007 7:29 PM

Jesus Matt, you can’t do anything right can you pal. This article was a really good one. I actually know a “Big Splasher” and what a mess. He has a hand/eye coordination issue and growing up I remember watching him throw his nuggets with about 1000 psi behind it into BBQ sauce. That kid could eat McNuggets and wear BBQ sauce on the back of his head. I think they discontinued honey because of the “Big Splashers”. Oh the sticky mess in the minivan!

Chestnuts roasted by Bill @ 02/20/2007 8:12 PM

The Power Rangers had pretty kickass costumes for that movie…

Chestnuts roasted by Bizarro Murphy @ 02/20/2007 8:12 PM

Bill: Tell me about it! (Link and Super Bowl date fixed.)

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 02/20/2007 8:15 PM

What a topic to choose, Matt, a week after I started reading Fast Food Nation. No matter. Your writing remains terrific, as always. Congratulations on your truimphant return to full article-writing. There was the discontinued soda article, but it felt thin and half-hearted. Now you’re back at it in full force! For a followup may I suggest something about tropical fish.

Chestnuts roasted by Der Super @ 02/20/2007 8:20 PM

Thin and half-hearted?! Thin maybe, but whole-hearted! You make me so defensive Der Super.

Tropical fish, probably not, but something from the animal kingdom has been on deck for a few months now.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 02/20/2007 8:23 PM

Matt: You should do an article on sharks. There was a boat that a few bull sharks attacked and sank just down the way from my house. No shit, actually sank. When I was flying over Jupiter Inlet you could see sharks swimming off the shore. It makes me a little nervous swimming now.

Chestnuts roasted by Bill @ 02/20/2007 8:31 PM

I still have the batman and the robin glasses. they are cool! Surprisingly so. I remember getting about 6 of those hot wheels when they came out. I was…9? Ew. WHen I was a tike, McDs ruled!!!

Chestnuts roasted by faroniousd @ 02/20/2007 8:36 PM

Hey Matt, If one were to send you something, say a six pack of Surge along with the set of Batman glasses. What address would we send it to?

Chestnuts roasted by Jester @ 02/20/2007 9:16 PM

Glasses = Glass cups BTW, not Batman Eye devices. Seriously though, I have all the glasses in triple just sitting around my house

Chestnuts roasted by Jester @ 02/20/2007 9:18 PM

Hey, did anyone take advantage of IHOP’s Free Pankcake Short Stack Day today? I didn’t…:(

Chestnuts roasted by Invader Norbert @ 02/20/2007 9:31 PM

I’m not a big fan of McDonald’s. I will eat it if it’s the only thing around, and I get a Shamrock Shake every year on or around St. Patrick’s Day, but the food is usually terrible unless it’s milky and minty.

However, there was (and is) a McDonald’s in North Cape May where my family ate frequently during most of my childhood. The food was hideous and the lady who owns it to this day is a witch times fifteen, but it’s the closest fast-food place to Cape May City that’s open year-round.

That said, I was a little young in the early 80s to remember most of the “place mats” and their promotions. I do recall the Batman Forever mugs – I think Mom might still have Robin at home – the Super Bowl promotion, and of course, McRibs. McRibs was actually some pretty good stuff for McDonald’s, and they make rare reappearances from time to time. I also remember the Arch Deluxes, mostly because I was actually working there at the time they were on the menu. (My job there lasted for about a month and is now regarded as the biggest mistake I ever made in my entire life.)

Until his wife pointed out he was in danger of death by cholesterol overload last year, my stepfather lived on McDonald’s, especially the breakfasts. The McDLT was “his” special McDonald’s food during it’s heyday, and rarely a week went by without finding the reminents of that morning’s McDonald’s breakfast in his car. My brother used to talk about how Dad would sometimes take him out to a McDonald’s breakfast, complete with McMuffins, semi-heated coffee, and hash browns so grease-coated, they fall apart.

I had no idea the Chicken McNuggets were so recent. They were my sisters’ “special” McD’s food throughout the 80s. I preferred a good old-fashioned cheeseburger. Nothing fancy for me, not even a Big Mac (which was Mom’s “special favorite” – today, she’s a health-food freak who would probably rather eat dirt than McDonald’s).

Chestnuts roasted by starwenn @ 02/20/2007 9:33 PM

Matt –
Yes please on the animal kingdom article. May it please please please be about something awesome like octopus personalities or sharks or sea snails. Or whales. I’m excited.

Chestnuts roasted by Jessica Marie @ 02/20/2007 10:28 PM

Oh,oh, I see how it is. SuperBowls and FLINTSTONE movie corrections are no problem but ol’ Manimal mentions a Chicken McNugget date error and a defeaning silence followed by *cricket chirp, cricket chirp*

On an unrelated topic, we find out boy or girl tomorrow. Place your bets!

Chestnuts roasted by The Manimal @ 02/20/2007 10:42 PM

Oh no! I’m sorry I made you feel defensive, Matt. I love your work so very much. And I still greatly enjoyed your soda article, despite my criticism. I feel a bit like I’ve publicly disgraced myself by offending a celebrity I adore upon meeting them. So I apologize.

Chestnuts roasted by Der Super @ 02/20/2007 10:44 PM

Finally proof of the existence of the Super hero burger! I have been trolling the internet for years for a picture of it again. Just to see what it looked like and was called again. I must make a website for it. Maybe I can be like those kool-aid alchemists who make discontinued Kool-aid flavors, but with Mcdonalds. I probably just need three Big and tasty’s with cheese, I could bring my own bun. They still make big and tasty’s right? I almost died of laughter when I read “three beef patties for Batman-loving fatties.” I’m usually sensitive about this but I guess its true. I love Batman and those Burgers. I can still taste them thats the weird thing. God bless you Matt you have made me so happy today. I wish I still had my glass Batman cups. To ebay!

Chestnuts roasted by Pat @ 02/20/2007 10:45 PM

Now I can taste the McRib I had two years ago that made me sick… or should I say Poobah meal? either way not a fun memory. McDonalds is pure garbage, a blight on humanity, and it should be thwarted at all costs.

Chestnuts roasted by Simply Justin @ 02/20/2007 10:53 PM

Manimal: Awesome, awesome, awesome find on the 80′s TV education. I haven’t seen those in 20 years. Thanks a bunch.
http://www.angelfire.com/retro/gartwo/

Chestnuts roasted by Bill @ 02/20/2007 10:54 PM

No problem but I do not deserve the credit. Somebody (and I regret to say I don’t remember who) posted that 2 years ago-ish. Step forward whoever you are and accept your kudos!!

Chestnuts roasted by The Manimal @ 02/20/2007 11:09 PM

Oh, McDonalds. I grew up more in the 90s myself. I remember going crazy for the very first Monopoly game (and I still love it to this day), and the teenie beanie craze. I still have all of the original teenies, which used to be worth 70 bucks on ebay at their peak but are now worth 10. Damn. I guess I have to hold onto them for 50 years, now.

Chestnuts roasted by T @ 02/20/2007 11:20 PM

Oh, and I forgot to mention the glasses! I have one of those. It’s good for drinking whiskey.

Chestnuts roasted by T @ 02/20/2007 11:23 PM

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