Petco joins the Halloween bucket craze McDonald’s started, and this one has a lid
Petco has released its own 2-gallon Halloween buckets, giving McDonald’s a run for its money. Petco’s versions are $7 and come in Frankenstein and jack-o’-lantern designs. Oh, and it has a lid!
The Halloween bucket has returned as an iconic staple, with Petco giving McDonald’s some competition.
Petco dropped its own Halloween buckets, joining a growing pile of retailers joining in on the trend McDonald’s started with the McBoo pails.
Petco’s version does beat McDonald's in one important way- it has a lid.
What is the Petco Halloween bucket
Petco’s version is a 2-gallon pail that costs $7, and comes in two designs: a green Frankenstein face and an orange jack-o’-lantern.
No black cat?
Both buckets feature the Petco logo, which could be a cute added bonus or a turn off depending on the collector.
What it does have is a lid.
Most of these seasonal buckets don’t come with one, and in recent years McDonald’s usually goes with a handle. Petco’s version gives the bucket a useful edge because collectors can use it for storage or pet toys.
How the Halloween bucket trend became a thing
The answer: McDonald’s.
McDonald’s has released its McBoo Buckets, the Happy Meal pails shaped like McPunk’n, McBoo, and McGoblin, off and on since the mid-1980s. They have become a nostalgia-driven juggernaut, selling out and buzzing on social media every time they return.
Now everyone wants to make one
Home Depot did it, and Petco is the latest to jump in. What started as a fast-food giveaway is now a whole category, with retailers competing to put their logo on a Halloween pail.
Not everyone thinks the Petco bucket is worth it
The internet is split on the $7 price tag.
Many argue that Home Depot’s bucket is less than half the price at around $3, but it doesn’t come with a lid.
How to get the Petco Halloween bucket
If you want one, here’s how you can get it.
These are online-only.
Petco also sells cheaper and smaller trick-or-treat pails for $1.50 each, which are available for in-store pickup in many locations. But those do not have lids on them.
Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
Woman’s World via AOL (July 28, 2026), Shay Trotter’s reporting on the Petco buckets, the $7 and $1.50 pricing, the two designs, the lid feature, the online-only availability, and the shopper reactions
Markie Devo (July 2026), the original Facebook post surfacing the Petco bucket drop