The Happy Meal Conundrum

When I was a kid, my dad always took me to McDonalds on Tuesdays. I always got the Happy Meal with the Chicken McNuggets and a small fries, but the TOY was the best part. No matter what it was, I relished whatever novelty item was in the box (bag?). Anyway, whenever my mom or stepmom took me to McDonalds, I NEVER GOT THE TOY. Whenever they'd ask if I wanted the toy behind the counter, my mom or stepmom would say "no she doesn't want it", or "no you can't have the toy" and I never quite understood why. Does the toy cost extra? Would it have taken up too much room somewhere? Inquiring minds need to know. Maybe I keep all my childhood toys to this day to make up for the trauma of never getting those amazing figurines.