AHappy Meal is akids' meal sold at the Americanfast foodrestaurant chainMcDonald's since June 1979.[1] A smalltoy orbook is included with the food, both of which are usually contained in a redcardboard box with a yellow smiley face and theMcDonald's logo. The packaging and toy are frequently part of amarketing tie-in to an existing television series, film or toyline.
The Happy Meal contains a main item (ahamburger,cheeseburger or small serving ofChicken McNuggets), a side item (French fries, apple slices, aGo-Gurt tube or asalad in some areas) and a drink (milk,juice or asoft drink). The choice of items changes from country to country and may depend on the size of the restaurant.
In some countries, the choices have been expanded to include items such as agrilled cheese sandwich (known as a "Fry Kid"), or more healthy options such as apple slices, a mini snack wrap, salads orpasta, as one or more of the options.[2]
In the mid-1970s,Yolanda Fernández de Cofiño began working with her husband operating McDonald's restaurants inGuatemala. She created what she called the "Menú Ronald" (Ronald menu), which offered a hamburger, small fries and a small sundae to help mothers feed their children more effectively while at McDonald's restaurants.[3][4] The concept was eventually brought to the attention of McDonald's management in Chicago. The company gave the development of the product toBob Bernstein, who then came up with the idea for the Happy Meal.[5]
In 1977, the McDonald's restaurant owner clients who regularly met with Bernstein were looking for ways to create a better dining experience for families with kids. Bernstein reasoned that if kids could get a packaged meal all their own instead of just picking at their parent's food, everybody would be happier. He had often noticed his young son at the breakfast table poring over the various items on cereal boxes and thought, "Why not do that for McDonald's? The package is the key!" He then called in his creative team and had them mock up some paperboard boxes fashioned to resemblelunch pails with the McDonald's Golden Arches for handles. They called in nationally known children's illustrators and offered them the blank slate of filling the box's sides and tops with their own colorful ideas from art to jokes to games to comic strips to stories to fantasy: whatever they thought might appeal to kids, at least eight items per box. Inside the box would be a burger, small fries, packet of cookies and a surprise gift. A small drink would accompany these items. Bernstein then named it the Happy Meal and it was successfully introduced with television and radio spots and in-store posters in the Kansas City market in October 1977. Other markets followed and the national roll-out happened in 1979.
Bernstein receivedTrademark #1136758 (Serial #73148046)[6] for his idea in 1977 which he assigned to his client, McDonald's Corporation, on June 10, 1980. In 1987 at the annual McDonald's marketing meeting, he was recognized for his accomplishment with a full-size golden replica of the Happy Meal box with the following inscription:
McDonald's Happy Meal 10th Anniversary 1977-1987
To Robert A. Bernstein, Bernstein-Rein Advertising
Thank you for bringing the Happy Meal, a bold idea, to the McDonald's System.
Your insight and conviction truly has made McDonald's a fun place for children for the past 10 years!
McDonald's Corporation
September, 1987
Often, the Happy Meal is themed to promote achildren and family-oriented film ortelevision series. The first such promotion was the "Star Trek Meal", which promotedStar Trek: The Motion Picture in December 1979.[7][8] The packaging used for theStar Trek Meal consisted of various images and games related to the film, as well as acomic strip adaptation of the film. Consumers had to buy numerous meals in order to complete the set. In 1982, McDonald's recalledPlaymobil Happy Meal toys because they could have been dangerous to children under three years of age.[9] In 1992, McDonald's withdrew their range of Happy Meal toys for the filmBatman Returns, after complaints from parents that the film was unsuitable for children.[10]
In July 2011, McDonald's announced plans to make Happy Meals healthier, including the addition ofapples. The redesigned meals would contain a smaller portion (1.1 ounces) of fries, along with the apples. On February 4, 2013, McDonald's announced that Fish McBites (friedAlaskan pollock, the same fish used inFilet-O-Fish) would be added as anentrée, which would run until March, intended to coincide withLent.[11]
In 2014, McDonald's introduced amascot to Happy Meals in the United States named Happy, who originated inFrance and some international countries as early as 2009. Reactions were mixed, including criticism that the mascot's design was too frightening.[12]
The Happy Meal did not introduce the practice of providing small toys to children. When the Happy Meal was launched in 1979, the toys were a McDoodlestencil, a McWristwallet, anIDbracelet, a puzzle lock, aspinning top or aMcDonaldland character-shapederaser. InCanada, the promotion prior to the Happy Meal was called the "Treat of the Week", where a different toy was available free on request each week.[13] This promotion continued after the Happy Meal was introduced in 1979 while Happy Meal toys have also become increasingly elaborate in recent years. While they were initially cheap items such as aFrisbee orball, they have gradually been replaced with increasingly sophisticated toys, many of which are atie-in to an existing TV series, film, video game or toy line.
The Happy Meal toys are designed for ages 2+, while the toddler toys are aimed at 3 and younger.
On November 2, 2010, theSan Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a law requiring that children's meals sold in restaurants must meet certain nutritional standards before they could be sold with toys. The law, urged in part by an increase ofchildhood obesity in the United States, would allow toys to be included with children's meals that have fewer than 600 calories and fewer than 640 milligrams of sodium, contain fruits and vegetables, and include beverages without excessive fat or sugar. The board overturned the veto of MayorGavin Newsom on November 23, 2010, to pass the law.[14] The law has been ridiculed by the satirical news programThe Daily Show.[15] McDonald's circumvented the ban by charging 10 cents for the toys.[16]
Aclass action lawsuit seeking to ban Happy Meal toys in California was filed in 2010. The suit was dismissed in April 2012.[17]
InChile, the Happy Meal, along with kids' meals at other fast food chains, no longer includes free toys, in response to a2012 law banning such toys in a move to prevent obesity.[18]
An adult version of the Happy Meal was released in 2004 with McDonald's "Active Fit" Happy Meal. The adult meal came in a special adult size happy meal box and included a bottle of water, salad, an exercise booklet, and a "step-o-meter".[19][20][21][22][23]
In 2022, an adult version of the Happy Meal was released as a timed collaboration with fashion brandCactus Plant Flea Market. The meal, which included a standard Big Mac or Chicken McNuggets combo meal, came with a collectible toy of the brand's mascot Cactus Buddy or four-eyed variants of McDonaldland characters Grimace, Birdie or the Hamburglar.[24]
Following the success of the 2022 promotion, McDonald's launched another adult Happy Meal promotion the following year, this time in collaboration with entertainerKerwin Frost. The 2023 edition featured the same choices of meals along with figurines of the McNugget Buddies, with updated designs from Frost.[25]
In 2024, a limited time version of the Happy Meal was released called Collector's Meals. The meal, included a 10-piece nugget or Big Mac along with a fries or drink for lunch, or a sausage and egg sandwich, hashbrowns, and a hot coffee for breakfast. Along with the meal, collectible cups came with the meal at participating U.S. stores. The designs include McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Hello Kitty & Peanuts, Beanie Babies, Barbie & Hot Wheels, and Shrek, Jurassic Park & Minions.[26]
In 2025, McDonald's released a new adult Happy Meal called the McDonaldland Meal. The meal came with a Quarter Pounder with cheese or a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, fries, and the new Mt. McDonaldland Shake.[27] Along with the meal there's a collectible tin that's filled with stickers and postcards featuring the brand's characters like Ronald McDonald, Grimace, Birdie, Hamburglar, Mayor McCheese, and the Fry Friends (a.k.a. the Fry Guys).[28]
Brands and products have frequently created marketing tie-ins with McDonald's Happy Meals, with notable collaborations including:[29][30]
Media related toHappy Meal at Wikimedia Commons