Stranger Things Happy Meal promoting new animated series
Credit: Netflix
ATLANTA - The Upside Down is making its way into the drive-thru.
What we know:
McDonald's is teaming up with Netflix to release a special Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 Happy Meal, celebrating the new animated series set in the fan-favorite universe.
The limited-time meal, launching May 5 in the U.S., comes with a custom box featuring the eerie vines from the Upside Down, along with a Stranger Things activity book and one of 12 collectible character toys. Fans can also scan a QR code to unlock an interactive game tied to the show.
The promotion highlights characters like Eleven, Mike, Dustin and Max — all part of the story set in Hawkins, the fictional town at the center of the series.
But while Hawkins may be fictional, its roots are firmly planted in Georgia.
The hit Stranger Things is largely filmed in and around Atlanta and surrounding communities, with several real-life locations transformed into Hawkins.
Downtown Jackson served as the show’s main street, while Stockbridge doubled as Hawkins Middle and High School. The now-iconic Starcourt Mall scenes were filmed at Gwinnett Place Mall.
The former Georgia Mental Health Institute on Emory University's Briarcliff Campus was transformed into Hawkins National Laboratory.
Other areas like East Point and Douglasville have also been used for neighborhoods and key scenes throughout the series.
So while fans dig into the new Happy Meal and explore the Upside Down, they’re also getting a taste of a show that’s deeply connected to Georgia — where Hawkins comes to life.