McDonald’s fans left 'devastated' over strict Friends ‘adult Happy Meal’ rule

McDonald's fans seem to love nothing more than a zany new limited-edition collaboration - especially when said collaboration is with one of the most beloved TV sitcoms of all time.

As of yesterday (3 February), fast-food lovers could get their mitts on the 'Friends Meal', complete with show-inspired collectables of Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Chandler, Ross and Joey.

The meal features either a Big Mac, nine McNuggets or a McPlant along with fries and your choice of drink, as well as one of six exclusive, iconic collectable characters, which all come with a nod to the fan-favourite programme.

Rachel's figurine is serving coffee in her Central Perk apron, while Monica is dressed in her chef outfit, Chandler is holding his chick, and Joey has the duck. Phoebe is playing guitar, and Ross is with his monkey, Marcel.

And, just when you thought it couldn’t BE any more exciting, there is also the limited-time Monica’s Marinara Sauce, an Italian tomato sauce made with tomatoes, garlic, onion and herbs, up for grabs.

McDonald's has just released a limited-edition Friends Meal and fans are already going wild for it (McDonald's)

The price for the meals ranges from £9.09 to £10.09.

The catch, however? You don't know which figurine you're getting until you open up your order, which has aptly been dubbed the 'adult Happy Meal', leaving some Friends fans disappointed and rushing to social media to share their gripes.

One fan claimed: "It's a shame you cannot select your figure, as I've seen that in other countries you can."

"I'm disappointed you cannot select what figure you get. I don't want to spend £9 on a meal and receive a duplicate," quipped a second.

A third chimed in: "It's random on the toys, so we need to buy more than one meal each."

There are six Friends figurines to collect (McDonald's)

"Problematic when you don't eat Maccas, and they don't sell them independently," lamented another, as a final fan asked: "Does anyone know if you can just buy the characters at McD's? Like, instead of having to buy a full meal?"

McDonald's has previously confirmed to Metro that you can't request a specific character's toy, nor can you buy them separately - so, the only way to collect them all is to keep buying the meal and hope for the best.

The eagerly-anticipated Friends Meal was released yesterday (McDonald's)

McDonald’s also said you shouldn't ask staff to give you a specific character as stock levels vary at each outlet.

May the odds be ever in your favour!

A McDonald’s spokesperson told Tyla in a statement: "We're delighted to see so much excitement around the collectables included with the FRIENDS meal! While we want everyone to have the opportunity to collect the six figures, please note that stock levels of each character may vary by restaurant.

"To ensure a smooth experience for all customers and our restaurant teams, we kindly ask that customers refrain from requesting specific characters when placing their order."