Harry Potter x Tim Hortons — Back to Hogwarts Collection: Colour Changing Stir Wand, Golden Snitch Timbits Holder, Golden Snitch Caramel Timbits, and Hogwarts 6-Pack Donuts

So, the Harry Potter collaboration with Tim Hortons, Back to Hogwarts, launched last Wednesday, and the dual Potterhead-Canadian in me was DETERMINED to get it all. So I did. (Minus the drinks. Because in my world, donuts are only to be eaten with coffee or tea. Plus, if I'm going to consume that much sugar, it is damn well going to be in pastry form.)

Harry Potter x Tim Hortons: Colour Changing Stir Wand

I obviously got the Colour Changing Stir Wand — with a price tag of $19.99, it's the most expensive item from the Back to Hogwarts collection — which apparently turns blue when you use it to stir cold drinks. (Seems like a missed opportunity to make one for hot drinks, too, but I digress.) I got it purely as a collector's item and, frankly, it will never be used for any other purpose than to be displayed proudly on my dedicated Harry Potter bookshelf (on which all my other Harry Potter memorabilia and multiple book editions sit). 

Harry Potter x Tim Hortons: Golden Snitch Timbits Holder

Harry Potter x Tim Hortons: Timbits Box

Harry Potter x Tim Hortons: Golden Snitch Caramel Timbits

As with the stir wand, I also got the Golden Snitch Timbits Holder as a display item, and the lady that took my order very kindly asked if I'd like my Timbits in the holder or in a separate box. I obviously got the Timbits in a separate box because the holder was sealed in plastic, and will never be sullied by food items, much less sticky donut holes. On that note, though, the Golden Snitch Caramel Timbits are fucking delicious. Like a Honey Dip Timbit, but filled with caramel and sprinkled with sugar crystals. Like all the food items from this collab, these are definitely bordering on too sweet, but they're addictive, especially for those who love caramel. A solid 8/10. And only 50 calories each! 

Harry Potter x Tim Hortons: Hogwarts 6-Pack Donuts Box

I also got the Hogwarts 6-Pack Donut Box because for $11.99, I can get all four of the Harry Potter donuts as well as an Apple Fritter and a Maple Glazed in a fancy limited edition Harry Potter box, instead of getting each Harry Potter donut for $2.79 each and not getting the fancy box. (For those who can't math, you're basically getting two more donuts for $0.83.) Now, I had to limit myself to one donut a day because hi, I'm diabetic, so I ate half of one in the afternoon and the other half in the evening. And thus, it took me four days to eat all four different house donuts. 

Harry Potter x Tim Hortons: Ravenclaw Blueberry Donut

The first one I tried was the Ravenclaw Blueberry Donut, which is a blueberry jelly-filled yeast donut topped with blue fondant icing and "blue crunch pieces." I love jelly donuts and the blueberry flavour is quite delightful, but the fondant on such a large surface of donut on top of the jelly filling is overwhelmingly sweet, so this is a 7/10 for me. Honestly, if the topping was blue sprinkles or even just glazed with the blue crunchy bits instead of fondant, I probably would've given this an 8. 

Harry Potter x Tim Hortons: Hufflepuff Lemon Meringue Donut

The second one I tried was the Hufflepuff Lemon Meringue Donut, which is a yeast ring donut filled with lemon cream and custard with a "meringue crunch." I don't usually love custard fillings as much as jelly, but the lemon cream is a DREAM — it has a good amount of tartness to offset the insane sweetness — and it does actually taste very similar to a lemon meringue pie, so I give this a 9/10.

Harry Potter x Tim Hortons: Gryffindor Strawberry Cheesecake Donut

The third donut I tried was the Gryffindor Strawberry Cheesecake Donut. Like the Hufflepuff one, this one is a yeast ring donut with a double filling, but with strawberry jelly and a cheesecake cream filling, topped with white fondant and strawberry bark pieces. As mentioned, I am a sucker for jelly donuts, but I am ALSO a sucker for cheesecake, so this also merits a 9/10 for me, and only because I would've preferred an icing sugar topping rather than fondant. 

Harry Potter x Tim Hortons: Slytherin Chocolate Pistachio Donut

Finally, I tried the Slytherin Chocolate Pistachio Donut, which is a yeast donut filled with chocolate, and topped with pistachio fondant and "green crunch pieces" that apparently also contain pistachio. This was the biggest disappointment, my least favourite of the four, and the only one I wouldn't recommend. It seems like the chocolate filling is the same as what they dip their chocolate dip donuts in — that is to say, it is more of a runny chocolate syrup rather than chocolate cream or custard. The pistachio flavour in the icing so mild, it might as well not contain any pistachio at all, and then at least those who have nut allergies could try them as well. Honestly, it's a crime to call this pistachio anything. 3/10 for me, and only because it's still a yeast donut. I wouldn't pick this above any of Tim Hortons' other donuts.

Anyway, this is the most donuts I've ever eaten in the span of a year (maybe even two?) and I don't feel the need to eat donuts again for a long, long time, but I am glad I got to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first Harry Potter movie with Tim Hortons. Although, it occurred to me that they should've just waited until next year, which is the 30th anniversary of the first book — and is frankly more important to Potterheads.

Unboxing: McDonald's x BT21 Happy Meal Toys

So, you know how I was all ready to eat my weight in Happy Meals for the new McDonald's collab with BT21? (Well, not literally because, wow, my cholesterol would be going through the roof. But I was ready to eat at least 28 of them! Over the course of a few weeks! With friends!) Well, it was all for naught because THE COLLAB DIDN'T COME TO CANADA. According to some sources (namely random Canadian McDonald's employees who post on Facebook), it's supposed to come to Canada in the fall at some point, but even then, it's not confirmed. (Did I drop into McDonald's today just to check if the Internet was wrong? Yes, I sure did. And they are indeed promoting Spiderman right now.) Anyway, it's really a moot point because when I checked on the day of launch (July 14), people (e.g. the Internet) were saying that the collab wasn't coming to Canada at all, so I decided to get all the toys on eBay instead. And, man, my seller did not disappoint.

McDonald's x BT21 Happy Meal Box
McDonald's x BT21 Happy Meal Box
McDonald's x BT21 Happy Meal Toy Boxes
McDonald's x BT21 Happy Meal Toy — Koya (RM)
McDonald's x BT21 Happy Meal Toy — RJ (Jin)
McDonald's x BT21 Happy Meal Toy — Shooky (Suga)
McDonald's x BT21 Happy Meal Toy — Mang (J-Hope)
McDonald's x BT21 Happy Meal Toy — Chimmy (Jimin)
McDonald's x BT21 Happy Meal Toy — Tata (V)
McDonald's x BT21 Happy Meal Toy — Cooky (Jungkook)
McDonald's x BT21 Happy Meal Toy — Van (ARMY)
McDonald's x BT21 Happy Meal Toy — BT21 Spaceship
McDonald's x BT21 Happy Meal Toys — Full Set (without BT21 Spaceship)
McDonald's x BT21 Happy Meal Group Poster (Sticker Roll not pictured)
Not only did the seller include all 10 collectibles, they also included a brand new folded BT21 Happy Meal box, all packaged neatly in a large McDonald's paper bag. Everything was in perfect, pristine condition — not the slightest of dents or fingerprints was found on any box. Which leads me to think that this seller might work at a McDonald's and might be doing some less than savoury things... like maybe "rummaging" through the boxes holding the BT21 toys... But I am not here to judge because collectors like me rely on these slightly shady characters to get all the BTS-related figures that aren't available in their country! And in total, the cost of all 10 collectibles actually cost approximately 26 Happy Meals after shipping and duties, which is less than what I thought I would spend in person! I didn't get any actual food, mind you, but it did save me from out of control triglyceride levels, so I'm calling this a win!

McDonald's x BT21 Happy Meal

(Image source: McDonald's Official X)
Okay, I'm ready to eat as many Happy Meals as it takes to collect them all. (Until I give up after Happy Meal #28, and end up ordering the toys I'm missing on eBay like last time. Sadly, my arteries can only take so many McNuggets.)

Unboxing: McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys — Encore Edition

Back in August, McDonald's announced its second collaboration with BTS (the first being the BTS Meal that launched in 2021). This time, it's with TinyTAN, which are the insanely adorable characters based on the BTS members, and whose collectible toy figures are available through their Happy Meals. There are two editions of TinyTAN Happy Meal toys to be collected — the Throwback Edition and the Encore Edition, which launched three weeks apart. Both editions have 7 BTS/TinyTAN member toys — and matching photocards! — to collect. As you may know, I collect BTS toy figures, including all the TinyTAN ones since its inception. So, I was determined to get all of these. However, after my friend and I bought 28 Happy Meals (of which I ate at least 14) to get all the Throwback Edition figures, I could not eat any more McDonald's. For the sake of my health. And wallet. So, I cheated and turned to eBay.

McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toy Boxes (Encore Editon)
The TinyTAN Happy Meals launched across 70+ countries, with the roll-out of the Encore Edition starting on September 23. In Canada, it was announced that the Encore Edition would launch on October 3, although locations that ran out of the Throwback Edition toys early started giving out the Encore Edition ones. That having been said, I knew by the end of September that there would be a lot of Americans that would have the whole set of the Encore Edition toys already. So on my eBay search, I came across a seller from Georgia who was selling the whole set, brand new and unopened, for about the same price per figure as a Happy Meal in Canada. (Let's not talk about the shipping.) Either way, it was less than the amount Minji and I spent on Happy Meals for the Throwback Edition, so no regrets.

McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Encore Edition) — Photocards

Each TinyTAN Encore Edition Happy Meal Toy comes in a red box with the McDonald's x TinyTAN logo on it (which is the TinyTAN logo imprinted on the McDonald's Happy Meal box logo), and comes with the corresponding member's photocard, which features the member's profile on the back. While the Throwback Edition cards have purple backgrounds, the Encore Edition ones have golden yellow ones. The outfits featured on the Encore Edition toys are the same as BTS' "MIC Drop" MV outfits (which have been featured on many TinyTAN figures before), except with little McDonald's logos on them. Each toy measures approximately 10cm H x 4cm W x 4cm D, and seem to be made of PVC/ABS plastics or something similar. The only difference I found between the American and Canadian versions is that the Height on the member photocards is listed in inches in the US (4 inches) rather than centimetres in Canada (10 cm).

McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Encore Edition) — RM
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Encore Edition) — Jin
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Encore Edition) — Suga
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Encore Edition) — J-Hope
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Encore Edition) — Jimin
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Encore Edition) — V
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Encore Edition) — Jungkook
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Encore Edition) — Full Set

And with that, my McDonald's x TinyTAN toy collections are complete! And at least this time, I'm not stuck with an extra 21 figures that I still don't know what to do with because I am way too lazy to list them on eBay...

Unboxing: McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys — Throwback Edition

Back in August, McDonald's announced its second collaboration with BTS (the first being, of course, the BTS Meal that launched in 2021, during which I ate so many McNuggets that I almost became one myself, and then spent way too much money on the official merch). This time, it's with TinyTAN, which are the insanely adorable characters based on the BTS members, and whose collectible toy figures are available through their Happy Meals. There are two editions of TinyTAN Happy Meal toys to be collected — the Throwback Edition and the Encore Edition, which launched three weeks apart. Both editions have 7 BTS member toys — and matching photocards! — to collect. As you may know, I collect BTS toy figures, including all the TinyTAN ones since its inception. So, I was determined to get all of these.

McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Box
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Box
The TinyTAN Happy Meals launched across 70+ countries, with the roll-out starting on September 3 in the U.S. It was finally released in Canada on September 16, and thus I began my hunt (a.k.a. Happy Meal binging). Between my friend Minji (who, bless her heart, was determined to help me hunt down all 7 figures even though she's not an ARMY) and I, we bought over 28 Happy Meals from 10 different locations across the Greater Toronto Area. And finally — FINALLY!!! — I have collected all 7 Throwback Edition TinyTAN figures.

McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toy Boxes (Throwback Edition)
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Throwback Edition) — Photocards
Each TinyTAN Throwback Edition Happy Meal Toy comes in a purple box with the McDonald's x TinyTAN logo on it (which is the TinyTAN logo imprinted on the McDonald's Happy Meal box logo), and comes with the corresponding member's photocard, which features the member's profile on the back. Each toy measures approximately 10cm H x 4cm W x 4cm D, and seem to be made of PVC/ABS plastics or something similar.

McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Throwback Edition) — RM
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Throwback Edition) — Jin
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Throwback Edition) — Suga
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Throwback Edition) — J-Hope
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Throwback Edition) — Jimin
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Throwback Edition) — V
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Throwback Edition) — Jungkook
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Throwback Edition) — Full Set

A few tips I've picked up along the way with collecting these Happy Meals toys (which, by the way, is significantly harder now than when I was collecting the Teenie Beanie Babies back in 1997...):

• Call a McDonald's location ahead of time before heading there or ordering online from there to check which toy they have available. However, many locations don't pick up the phone unless it's really late at night, so...
• Go into physical McDonald's locations and simply ask which toy they have available that day. If you order through the app or a food delivery service, you obviously won't know which toy you get. And if you order multiple Happy Meals from the same location, you'll likely get multiples of the same toy because each location tends to release one member at a time.  The TinyTAN figures are numbered (there's a tiny number on the back of the toy boxes from 1 to 7) in fan chant order (RM and then oldest to youngest). The employees usually don't know the names of the members, but will know the toy by number. 
• Go to multiple locations, not just the one you live near. Depending on how many Happy Meals they sell, many of the less busy locations have the same toy for a few days.
• Prepare your stomach (or someone else's) for the onslaught of cheeseburgers and McNuggets. (Or, similarly, make friends with people who take their kids to McDonald's.) All the locations I went to do not allow you to buy the toys outright. (Back in the day — at least, in the '90s — you could just pay for an extra toy.) You have to order a Happy Meal to get the toy. (At my local McDonald's, they literally have a sign up at the cashier that says, "TOYS COME WITH HAPPY MEALS ONLY. NO EXCEPTIONS.")

Anyway, now that the Encore Edition is being released, that's another 7 figures to hunt down. But if I eat anymore McDonald's, I will turn into a cheeseburger. So, I am going to hunt eBay instead. (Surprisingly, many sellers are selling each of the figures for around the price of a Happy Meal. Even with shipping, it's certainly less than the total amount Minji and I spent on Happy Meals in the last 2 weeks.) Now, what to do with the extra 13 J-Hopes, 3 Jimins, 3 Sugas, 2 Jungkooks I've acquired? Maybe I will have to sell on eBay, too.

New York City Winter 2025 Travel Log: Shack Stack, Fries, and Strawberry Milkshake from Shake Shack

Shack Stack

The perfect post-concert meal: A Shack Stack with fries from Shake Shack. (And a strawberry milkshake on the side. You know, to help soothe your throat after 2 hours of screaming.) 

Shake Shack (Flatbush-Barclays Center)

170 Flatbush Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11217

(347) 442-7711

Orlando 2024 Travel Log: Springfield at Universal Studios Florida — Day 3: Krusty Burger Combo at Krusty Burger and Pink Sprinkled Donut at Lard Lad Donuts

It's our third and final day at Universal Studios Orlando Resort before flying back home tomorrow. Since we thoroughly explored both of the Harry Potter parks over the past two days, we decided to check out some other parts of Universal Studios Florida and ended up spending quite a bit of time in Springfield, which is, of course, dedicated to The Simpsons.

Greetings from Springfield Sign

Krusty Burger

Krusty Burger with Kurly Fries

We went to Krusty Burger for lunch (tip: order through the mobile app and skip the massive line-ups) and obviously got the classic Krusty Burger, which is a 1/3 lb. burger with secret sauce, cheddar cheese sauce, a giant tomato slice, and iceberg lettuce on what seems to be a potato bun. We got the combo, which is served with Kurly fries and a drink. This burger, aside from looking almost picture perfect, was actually pretty incredible. The patty is smash-style so it has these perfectly crispy edges and incredible flavour, and the tomato and lettuce were fresh and crisp. Totally not what we were expecting. The Kurly fries are basically cajun curly fries but these, too, were fantastic — great flavour with a crispy exterior, and no condiments necessary. If you're looking for a good burger joint in this park, Krusty Burger is a surprisingly great option.

Lard Lad Donuts

Pink sprinkled donut from Lard Lad Donuts

We decided to go across the street to Lard Lad Donuts for a little dessert, and ordered the classic vanilla sprinkle donut. Honestly, I was expecting for it to be more unique or special, maybe like Krispy Kreme, but it really just is the most basic vanilla sprinkle donut. The kind you can get at Tim Hortons (or Dunkin' Donuts) for less than $2.00. This donut here, just because it's from a theme park, was $6.00 USD. I guess it's not surprising given that a bottle of water is also $6.00 here, but still, we were disappointed to say the least. Unless you're getting the iconic giant pink iced donut (which is equivalent to about 5 donuts), I'd skip this and find your sweet tooth fix at one of the dozens of other eateries and food stalls in this park.

While still in Springfield, we did go on Kang & Kodos' Twirl 'n' Hurl, one of the very few rides that we were both allowed to go on, and walked through The Simpsons Ride to see the interior of the building. Like both Gringotts Bank and Hogwarts Castle, the ride attendants are very accommodating to those who can't actually go on the rides and will absolutely let you go through the building to see the inside, so don't hesitate to ask!

Springfield

Universal Studios Florida 

6000 Universal Blvd.

Orlando, FL 32819, USA

(407) 363-8000