McDonald’s Company (Japan) Ltd. abruptly cancelled a three-day Happy Set promotion with Pokémon trading cards after just one day, saying demand on 9 August far exceeded expectations. The campaign, devised with The Pokémon Company, offered two cards from a set of six with each children’s meal, priced around ¥510 ($3.40). Stores across the country ran out of the roughly three million cards that had been printed, and the chain halted distribution on 10 August. Despite a limit of five Happy Sets per customer, thousands of adults bought meals in bulk, hoping to resell the cards online where listings quickly appeared for tens of thousands of yen. Videos and photographs showed untouched burgers and fries abandoned in and around restaurants, prompting public criticism over food waste and congestion at some 3,000 outlets. In a statement dated 12 August, McDonald’s Japan apologised for what it called “insufficient” preparations and said it is considering tougher steps for future giveaways. Proposed measures include tighter purchase caps, restrictions on mobile orders and delivery, and refusing service to people who repeatedly queue or intimidate staff. The episode underscores the surging resale market for Pokémon cards in Japan and the operational risks for brands that underestimate collector demand.