A Snoopy figurine self-liquidator promo for Extra Value Meals in 147 Hong Kong McDonald’s restaurants had both businessmen and kids lining the blocks and the toys selling briskly on the black market. A story in the Asian Wall Street Journal reported that Hong Kong residents were queuing up just to get tickets for entry to the restaurants, and that prices of up to $38 U.S. were being paid for the premiums.
The promotion had McDonald’s Hong Kong offering up a Snoopy figure in different ethnic garb each day for 28 days. Snoopy has so far appeared as a Mexican cowboy, a Philippine elder, a Beefeater, and an Eskimo. Consumers lucky enough to get to the counter bought the toys for about 77 cents with purchase of a $2.30 Extra Value Meal.
Not all Hong Kong residents went loopy over Snoopy, however. Nutrition-minded critics have called for a boycott, because the promotion pushes kids to eat a burger a day for four weeks.