In 1979, McDonald’s gave its first national children’s meal the name Happy Meal.
The meal was introduced nationally in the United States in June 1979. It typically combined a child-sized serving of food with a soft drink or milk and a small toy. The toy helped distinguish the package from an ordinary McDonald’s meal and made it a major part of the chain’s family-oriented marketing.
The concept had regional predecessors. McDonald’s franchisees had tested children’s meal packages before the national launch, and advertising executive Bob Bernstein is widely credited with developing the standardized Happy Meal format. The earliest versions often featured hamburgers, fries, a drink, and themed packaging.
A common mix-up is treating “Happy Meal” as the name of a particular toy or menu item. It is the name of the bundled children’s meal; the toy and food choices have changed repeatedly over time.