Fast Food Toys Hunting 101

Trying to get your hands on the goods is my favorite part! I absolutely love looking for them and ultimately making them mine.

There are three places to go looking for fast food toys. They are:

1 - At your local Fast Food joint - What can be easier than heading on over to a nearby "Mcdonalds" and ordering a happy meal? It's that simple! Fast food restaurants are everywhere, so that means the toys are within reach.

It's also good to note that you can always buy the toy on its own. Most don't know this, but you can just ask for the toy and to hold the happy meal or kids meal. This is perfect for those who are only interested in the toys and not the burgers and fries.

Of course, for people like me who are looking for older toys (toys no longer available at restaurants) there are options 2, 3 and 4.

2 - On eBay - eBay needs no introduction, but just in case, it's an "online marketplace" where you can get anything and everything. I love, love, love, love eBay!!! I don't know what I'd do without it. You can find fast food toys from as far back as the 70's. You can find loose toys, toys still in their package and even complete sets. Toys from "Wendy's," toys from "Burger King," toys from "Taco Bell," toys from "Arbys." You name it, it's on eBay!

Just head on over to www.ebay.com and register for your own eBay account - absolutely free. After that, you're ready to search for whatever you want when you want. Find that happy meal toy you once had or find that last toy to complete a set or get your hands on those rare hard-to-find toys. Endless possibilities! After you find what you're looking for, bid on it. If you're the highest bidder, pay the seller (whether it's with Paypal, money order, personal check, etc.) and then just wait for your package to arrive. I must tell you, there is nothing more exciting than opening up your mailbox and finding a package in there. It's like Christmas morning!

As far as how how much you'll be spending on eBay, it all depends on the demand for the item you are trying to win. If you're bidding on something that other people are bidding on as well, then the price can get very high. I've won toys with a bid as low as $.99 and I've also won toys with a bid as high as $90.00. Then there's also the shipping fee, which can be very expensive if you just won say 15 lbs. of toys. How badly you want something and how much you have in the bank certainly play a factor in all this.

3 - At a Flea Market or a Garage Sale - If you're not looking to spend a lot of money, then your best bet is to go to a flea market or a garage sale.

I must say that this is my most favorite way in obtaining fast food toys for my collection. It's not easy and there's no guarantee that you'll walk away with what you want, but when you find that one toy among all the junk, it's as if you won the lottery. It's that great!

Check your local newspapers or bulletin boards at your local supermarket to find out where to find a flea market or a garage sale in your area. For garage sales signs, sometimes you don't need to look far. I see tons of signs advertising garage sales posted on trees, especially during the warm months. You can even look online. Most flea markets operate on the weekends, starting very early in the morning. That's where the whole "early bird gets the worm" thing comes in. If you are going to go to a flea market or a garage sale, get there early so you can still rummage through the good stuff. If you come too late, then you'll pretty much be searching through the day's leftovers and rejects.

I visit every stand in the flea market. People sell everything from candies to jeans to electrical appliances. Keep an eye out for fast food toys since they're small. In most cases, you'll find them in a bin or a box. Give yourself ample time to look through things. They're not always going to be displayed up front for all to see. I once found an Alf (you know, that alien character that liked to eat cats from the 80's) puppet from Burger King behind a bunch of old books and magazines. It still had it's tag and everything and I got it for $1.00. That's the other thing! When you finally find that toy you want and there's no price tag, make sure to keep your cool when asking the owner how much it costs. If they detect you want the toy in the worst way, they'll make it pricy. Act like you could care less about the toy and you'll most likely walk away with it for a buck or two. Same rule applies when at a garage sale.

Be at the right flea market/garage sale at the right time with the right attitude and you could walk away with a bag full of good stuff.

I don't go to flea markets or garage sales often, but when I do, it's on! I can spend hours rummaging and I always have a blast. Don't forget to wear your good sneakers!