Back in the golden days of the Golden Arches, you were the coolest kid on the block if you got to have your birthday party at Macca’s. McDonald’s has always been irresistibly alluring to young children. Even ones like me who, on the night of my first Happy Meal, had lurid nightmares about Grimace and woke up covered in vomit.

McDonald’s birthday parties had an irresistible allure to exhausted parents, too. For a fraction of the price of a birthday party at home, you could sit back for 90 minutes and let some hapless, pickle-splattered staff member feed and entertain your offspring and their screeching horde of school chums. You didn’t even have to make a cake. It was like the parenthood version of a week in Bali. 

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But then Covid came along and ruined everything, with McDonald’s birthday parties just one more lockdown casualty. Except when everything opened up again, the party was still over. In 2023, a McDonald’s spokesperson told news.com.au that the fast-food chain was still “reviewing when and how” they would bring the birthday parties back. 

Two long years after that, it appears the party is finally back on, with McDonald’s announcing on social media that it’s bringing back its kid’s birthday parties. Although a major error almost deflated all the balloons before they’d even been blown up, with the post mispricing the cost at $990.00. Whoopsie.

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We reached out to Macca’s for confirmation, and they provided the following:

“Birthday party packages are available at select restaurants and start from just $17.50 per child, including a Happy Meal, Happy Celebration Party Bag, invitations and birthday cards, party hats, tray mats and crayons, and a special Macca’s gift for the birthday child! Families can also choose to include the classic Macca’s birthday cake [for an extra $15] known and loved by children big and small.”

Bookings need to include a minimum of 10 kids, which would work out at a minimum spend of $175. A small price for 90 minutes of relative peace. Treat yourself to a chocolate thickshake while you’re there. 

To book a party for your child, head to mcdonalds.com.au/parties to find a participating restaurant. 

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