Kiwi dad creates at-home McDonald's drive-thru for daughter's birthday during lockdown

Little Maizie Lewis' dream came true as her dad ensured she got her McDonald's drive-thru for her birthday, despite being in lockdown.

Maizie, who turned 4 yesterday, told her parents her birthday wish was a Happy Meal from McDonald's.

Unable to give her the real deal, dad Nathan Lewis didn't let lockdown stop him and got to work recreating the drive-thru experience for his youngest child.

The Omokoroa dad says the whole setup took about six or seven hours to put together and he was up until 1.30am the night before, but it was all worth it to see Maizie happy on her birthday.

"She was so stoked," the dad told the Herald.

"She was still asking for it the morning after. She didn't quite know what to make of it," he added.

Seeing as Maizie is a Frozen fan, mum and dad got her dressed up in her favourite Frozen outfit.

Mum then drove Maizie up the family's long driveway, then back down through the "drive-thru" for her birthday meal: chicken nuggets, chips and a strawberry shake.

Three screens placed along the driveway simulated the drive-thru experience, with pre-recorded videos of dad, in a McDonald's outfit, taking Maizie's order and the eftpos payment.

Once they were done ordering and paying for their meal, dad came out and delivered it to the birthday girl, who thanked "daddy" for the meal and was visibly excited to tuck into her chicken nuggets.

The whole order was delivered inside makeshift McDonald's packaging, which dad, with the help of his other three children, recreated using his computer and printer at home.

The Lewis family have been documenting their life in lockdown in a series of videos posted on their Facebook page.

The dad says that, with four children - aged 12, 9, 5 and 4 - lockdown has definitely not been dull.

"It's been interesting times," he says.

Other lockdown adventures by the Lewis family have included an "at home" Rainbow's End adventure.

This article was first published on the NZ Herald and is republished here with permission.

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