McDonald's introduced the Happy Meal in 1979.
The children's meal was developed as a boxed offering containing a hamburger or other main item, a side, a drink, and a small toy. Its packaging made the meal itself a branded experience rather than simply a smaller adult order. The first national rollout in the United States followed regional testing and earlier promotional experiments.
The Happy Meal became one of McDonald's most recognizable product brands. Toys tied to films, television programs, and original characters helped the meal connect restaurant visits with collecting and play. Packaging designs have changed repeatedly, but the name and basic child-focused concept have remained familiar.
The Happy Meal is sometimes dated to earlier local promotions because McDonald's tested children's packages before the national launch. The commonly cited branding milestone is 1979, when the Happy Meal was introduced nationally in the United States.