Happy Meal facts for kids
A Happy Meal is a special kids' meal sold at the famous American fast food restaurant McDonald's. It first appeared in June 1979. What makes it special? It comes with a small toy or a book, usually packed inside a bright red cardboard box with a yellow smiley face and the well-known McDonald's logo. Often, the toys or books are part of a promotion for a popular TV show, movie, or toy line.
Contents
What's Inside a Happy Meal?
A Happy Meal usually includes a main food item. This could be a hamburger, a cheeseburger, or a small serving of Chicken McNuggets.
You also get a side item, like French fries, apple slices, or a Go-Gurt tube. The drink choices include milk, juice, or a soft drink. What's available can change depending on the country you are in. Some places offer healthier choices like salads or pasta.
The Story of the Happy Meal
The idea for the Happy Meal started in the mid-1970s. Yolanda Fernández de Cofiño ran McDonald's restaurants in Guatemala with her husband. She created a special "Menú Ronald" (Ronald menu). This meal had a hamburger, small fries, and a small sundae. It was designed to help parents feed their children easily at McDonald's.
McDonald's management in Chicago heard about this idea. They asked Bob Bernstein, an advertising expert, to develop it further. Bernstein thought that if kids had their own packaged meal, everyone would be happier. He noticed his son looking at cereal boxes and thought, "Why not do that for McDonald's?"
He designed paper boxes that looked like lunch pails. These boxes had the McDonald's Golden Arches as handles. He invited artists to fill the boxes with fun things. These included art, jokes, games, comic strips, and stories. Each box would have at least eight different fun items.
Inside the box, there would be a burger, small fries, cookies, and a surprise gift. A small drink would also come with it. Bernstein named it the Happy Meal. It was first tested in Kansas City in October 1977. It became available across the United States in 1979.
In 1987, McDonald's honored Robert Bernstein. They gave him a golden copy of the Happy Meal box. It thanked him for bringing the Happy Meal to McDonald's. It said his idea made McDonald's a fun place for children.
Happy Meals often promote movies or TV shows for kids and families. The first such promotion was for the Star Trek: The Motion Picture in December 1979. The packaging had pictures and games related to the movie.
Sometimes, toys had to be recalled. In 1982, McDonald's recalled Playmobil toys because they could be unsafe for very young children. In 1992, McDonald's removed Batman Returns toys. This happened after parents complained the movie was not suitable for kids.
In July 2011, McDonald's announced plans to make Happy Meals healthier. They added apple slices to the meals. The new meals also had a smaller portion of fries. In 2014, McDonald's introduced a mascot for Happy Meals in the United States. Its name was Happy. Some people thought Happy's design looked a bit scary.
Happy Meal Toys
The Happy Meal wasn't the first to give out toys to children. But it made it very popular. When the Happy Meal started in 1979, the toys were simple. They included a McDoodle stencil, a McWrist wallet, an ID bracelet, a puzzle lock, a spinning top, or a McDonaldland character eraser.
Over the years, Happy Meal toys have become more detailed. They started as simple items like a Frisbee or a ball. Now, many are linked to popular TV shows, movies, video games, or toy lines. Happy Meal toys are usually for kids aged 2 and up. There are also special toddler toys for children aged 3 and younger.
Rules About Toys
Some places have made rules about toys in kids' meals. On November 2, 2010, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a law. It said that kids' meals with toys must meet certain healthy food standards. For example, meals needed to have fewer than 600 calories and include fruits or vegetables. This law was made because of concerns about childhood obesity. McDonald's found a way around the ban by charging a small fee for the toys.
In Chile, Happy Meals and other kids' meals no longer include free toys. This is due to a 2012 law that aims to prevent obesity.
Happy Meals for Adults
McDonald's has also offered Happy Meals for adults a few times.
Active Fit Happy Meal (2004)
In 2004, McDonald's released the "Active Fit" Happy Meal. This adult meal came in a special larger Happy Meal box. It included a bottle of water, a salad, an exercise booklet, and a "step-o-meter."
Cactus Plant Flea Market Collaboration (2022)
In 2022, McDonald's teamed up with the fashion brand Cactus Plant Flea Market. They released an adult Happy Meal for a limited time. This meal included a Big Mac or Chicken McNuggets combo. It came with a collectible toy. The toys were either the brand's mascot, Cactus Buddy, or special four-eyed versions of McDonaldland characters like Grimace, Birdie, or the Hamburglar.
Kerwin Frost Collaboration (2023)
Following the success of the 2022 promotion, McDonald's launched another adult Happy Meal in 2023. This time, it was with entertainer Kerwin Frost. This edition also offered the same meal choices. It came with new versions of the McNugget Buddies figurines, designed by Frost.
Popular Happy Meal Promotions
Here are some of the popular promotions that have been featured in Happy Meals:
- Batman Car Figures
- Disney movies like The Lion King, Cinderella, Frozen II, Little Mermaid, Mickey Mouse, Pocahontas, and Snow White
- Garfield Vehicles
- Hot Wheels (collection)
- Marvels movie (collection)
- My Little Pony (collection)
- Muppet Babies
- Play-Doh (Hasbro)
- Roblox games like Adopt Me! and Pet Simulator (collections)
- Teenie Beanie Babies (collection)
- Squishmallow Surprise (collection)
See also
In Spanish: Happy Meal para niños
- Burger King Kids Club
