McDonald’s gets help from Hello Kitty, Shrek, Barbie and Grimace.

The fast-food chain has launched collectible cups featuring its own mascots and pop culture icons from various franchises, characters McDonald’s has used as the basis for collectibles before. The company is using nostalgia as a marketing tool to attract customers even as menu prices rise and sales decline.

Fans are on the hunt for these collectibles and TikTok creators have even shared strategies on how to get your hands on the mug of your choice.

McDonald’s, of course, says it’s a valuable investment. “In 20 years, you’ll be glad you collected all 6 limited edition cups,” the company’s official X account says.

On eBay, individual mugs sell for $15 to $50, while the complete set of six mugs costs $250. Some owners even sell boxes of 100 mugs for $1,500.

But does their value increase over time? It turns out that fast food promotional items don’t have much value in the long run, says Justin Caravoulias, consignment manager for action figures and toys at Heritage Auctions.

McDonald’s has released collectible cups over the years, including “Batman Forever” glasses, Dream Team cups featuring members of the 1992 U.S. Olympic basketball team, and Disney Millennium drinkware with Mickey Mouse decor. (As a precautionary measure, some collections, such as the 2010 “Shrek Forever After” cups, were discovered to contain hazardous materials.)

Other chains have also adopted this strategy: Taco Bell launched promotional mugs for several “Batman” films, and Burger King launched “Pocahontas” mugs and “Lord of the Rings” goblets.

Fast-food chains have distributed large numbers of these cups, meaning they are not very rare, Caravoulias said. Collectors have kept them to estimate their future value, meaning it is easy to find examples in good condition.

Many of these mugs can be found on resale sites like eBay for as little as $10 a piece. And if you go to a thrift store, you might see bags full of unopened collectibles from McDonald’s, Burger King or other restaurants that are 20 to 30 years old, Caravoulias said.

When new items come out, people will try like crazy to collect them. Short-term investors will buy these boxes, break them open and sell sets while they are in demand, Caravoulias said.

But while past performance does not allow any conclusions to be drawn about future stock market returns, the market for promotional items is more consistent.

“History repeats itself. They will never be as valuable as they are now,” said Caravoulias. “This is probably the highest value they will ever have.”

Although mugs are generally inexpensive, there are exceptions. A McDonald’s Star Wars mug from the 1970s recently sold on eBay for $128.

Hanging displays containing all of the 1992 Dream Team trophies also sold recently, fetching $900 on eBay. The high price may be due to timing. Aside from basketball’s enormous popularity, the sale came just before the Paris Olympics were televised. Fans compared this year’s team to the 1992 squad, which reignited interest in Dream Team memorabilia, Caravoulias said.

To complete their vintage collection, people are often willing to pay a premium for some items, especially those from legendary franchises, says Caravoulias.

Some enthusiasts might spend $100 or $200 on complete sets so they don’t have to track down each individual cup. But most items of this type are still “pretty affordable” for the average collector, Caravoulias said.

Although mugs are easy to find online, some collectors prefer to search in person. Amethyst Bowlsby, a 34-year-old mug collector from Riverton, Wyoming, enjoys scouring thrift stores and flea markets for memorabilia, in part because of the stories she hears from the sellers.

As a teenager, Bowlsby began completing her collection of McDonald’s “Batman Forever” cups, a symbol of her “feel-good movie.” She already owned a cup that glorified the Caped Crusader, but she still had to find Robin, Two-Face and the Riddler.

She found Robin in a second-hand store for about five dollars and her now husband gave her the Two-Face mug.

But the Riddler trophy was her holy grail, thanks to Jim Carrey’s wonderfully “ridiculous” portrayal. Unfortunately, it was the hardest to find. Then, on her 28th birthday, she received a package from her mother containing the coveted trophy.

“Oddly enough, I love ‘Batman Forever.’ It’s a silly movie and it makes me happy,” Bowlsby said.

On eBay and Etsy, some sellers are offering the complete “Batman Forever” collection for $50 or less. One reason many fast-food trinkets don’t appreciate in value, Caravoulias said, is that since the 1990s, “everything has become collectible.” The internet has made people more aware of the value of vintage items, so they collect items and keep them in pristine condition, he added.

But because there are so many toys in perfect condition, their individual value is decreasing. It’s a question of supply and demand.

“One of the aspects related to collectability and the value of things over time is that people have to have nostalgic feelings about them. Then there also has to be some deterioration of the original stock,” Caravoulias said.

One reason the Beanie Baby bubble burst is because parents told their children not to play with the toys because they might be valuable someday. But people don’t want to collect toys they don’t remember playing with, antiques expert Harry Rinker said in a previous interview with Marketplace.

In comparison, certain Pokemon cards are worth a lot of money today. The franchise is still successful, kids have watched the TV show and played the trading card game as kids, and the rarity of some cards has increased their value.

Star Wars action figures from the 1970s also fetch high sales. The brand remains popular and it is rare to find these toys in perfect condition. Children ripped open the packaging and had fun with their toys, as you would expect, Caravoulias said.

The ’90s also saw the release of new Star Wars toys based on the original franchise, and collectors immediately snapped them up because they knew how much money older products were worth, Caravoulias says.

Like Star Wars collectors, fast food cup connoisseurs have learned to carefully store their memorabilia. However, this does not increase their market value.

“They don’t disappear, they don’t break, they don’t get used, they don’t get thrown away. So anyone who wants them can get them very easily,” said Caravoulias.

But that doesn’t stop people from buying collectible cups every time a new product is released, so it’s a “solid strategy” for fast-food restaurants to attract customers, Caravoulias said.

Some people believe they can return quickly, while others, like Bowlsby, simply cherish the souvenirs.

You never know what something will be worth in the future, said Caravoulias. His parting advice? “If you like these cups, if you get pleasure from them, if you feel a connection to them, then collect them.”