You city slickers could never pull off a look as iconic as this 1978 McDonald's cowboy hat and belt buckle combo...

You city slickers could never pull off a look as iconic as this 1978 McDonald's cowboy hat and belt buckle combo...

In the 90s, wearing your proper shirt size wouldn't cut it... bigger was better. Case in point: this Ronald in sunglasses shirt. One size fits all!

"Property of Hamburger University Athletic Department" might be the best phrase ever printed on a t-shirt (McDonald's SmileMakers Catalog, 1983)

Always a source of interesting menu experiments, one of the first McDonald’s Burgers of the Month was a Chili Cheese Quarter Pounder. Who would be down to try this one? (1993)

Always a source of interesting menu experiments, one of the first McDonald’s Burgers of the Month was a Chili Cheese Quarter Pounder. Who would be down to try this one? (1993)

Quite the arsenal of slammers for my next game of Pogs... (1994)

A Chicken McNuggets box from its wide test market in 1981. I guess they were expecting it to be a hit with the picnic crowd.

The first Simpsons fast food toys were released just a few quick months after the show premiered. This set of five camping figures were loosely based on the episode "The Call of the Simpsons" (Burger King translite sign, 1990)

The PEPSI WILD BUNCH (1991) - Raging Razzberry, Strawberry Burst & Tropical Chill. Elite can design meets some fun, limited-time flavors... unfortunately, these never made it past test markets.

Here is the first Big Mac box design from the early 70s. While the sandwich was first released in 1968, it was initially held together by a cardboard collar and wrapped in foil.

1994's Flintstones movie inspired McDonald's to re-brand as ROC DONALD'S. Gotta love the detail work here... over 19 dozen sold!

Forget Hallmark... give them a 1989 Hamburglar card to show you really care

The FUNNY FRY FRIENDS Happy Meal doesn’t seem to get the same nostalgic fanfare as its McNugget Buddies or Changeables counterparts, but it was an incredibly fun line of characters (1989)

Super Size Fries were first introduced as a limited time offering in the summer of 1987 and were immediately a smash-hit. In its first few months, there were two different packaging designs - but the one with orange ribbons was a much rarer/shorter-lived version.

The ice cream machine is down? No problem... you can make yourself a McFlurry out of Play-Doh! (2002)

Here’s the infamous Pepsi “Cool Can” from the summer of 1990 that spells out SEX when you align two cans just right. The bar for scandal in soft drink packaging is a low one, but this is a cool piece nonetheless.

I don't recall ever seeing this balloon light fixture at McDonald's, but I bet it looked ridiculously cool by some Hamburglar and Grimace statues. (1981)

The Burger King Kingdom was BK’s answer to McDonaldland. Most of the characters couldn’t compare, but the WIZARD OF FRIES was definitely something special. (“Calculator,” 1981)

Here's an incredible photo from my archives: a store opening featuring one of the earliest in-store appearances of Captain Crook, while he was still in his brief skull and crossbones era! (1971/72)

Toasted Ravioli - one of the most obscure and potentially delicious McDonald's regional test products (1991)

Is it really an extra value meal if it doesn’t come with an INDIANA JONES VHS TAPE? (1991)

The Ronald McDonald "talking telephone" is a top item on my want list. When you picked up the phone, it played messages from Ronald and other McDonaldland characters. Even in this 1984 catalog, this thing was a whopping $295 and the tapes it used were sold separately.

Ronald McDonald and Grimace "pop-up watches" (1994)

In 1991, Ronald went through a brief “M.C. Donald” phase - you can’t touch this!

Another McDonald's buying trip is in the books! This haul included a drive-thru sign, a blue fry guy carousel piece, a sealed set of 70s McDonaldland dolls, a couple dozen translites, hundreds of pages of reference material and best of all - a 10-FOOT WIDE, HAND-PAINTED MURAL!

Another McDonald's buying trip is in the books! This haul included a drive-thru sign, a blue fry guy carousel piece, a sealed set of 70s McDonaldland dolls, a couple dozen translites, hundreds of pages of reference material and best of all - a 10-FOOT WIDE, HAND-PAINTED MURAL!

Ronald & Shamu - a match made in heaven, immortalized in glass

TONIGHT on History Channel! My final episode of Food That Built America this season... S7E11: Spilling The Tea, airs at 10PM ET!

As you party on the 4th of July, it's important to take a moment to remember that Spuds Mackenzie's vital role in the signing of the Declaration of Independence. (Bud Light calendar, 1990)