In McDonald's branding history, the Happy Meal was introduced in 1979 with a toy in a children's meal.
The Happy Meal combined a child-sized portion of food with a small toy, turning the meal itself into a branded family experience. Its packaging and rotating toy promotions made it one of McDonald's most recognizable products beyond the restaurant's core menu.
The first Happy Meal was introduced in the United States in 1979. The concept was not simply a smaller hamburger meal: the distinctive box, child-focused design, and included toy were central to its identity. Toy themes have often been linked to films, television programs, and other licensed properties.
The Happy Meal is sometimes confused with later children's menu names used in other countries. McDonald's has adapted the contents and packaging by market, but “Happy Meal” is the widely recognized English brand name associated with the original 1979 launch.