McDonald’s gave its 1970s children’s meal promotion the name Happy Meal.
The Happy Meal combined a child-sized meal with a toy or other promotional item. Its branding treated the purchase as an entertainment experience as well as a food order, helping McDonald’s appeal directly to families. The concept became one of the company’s most recognizable branded products.
The first Happy Meals were introduced in the United States in 1979. Before that nationwide launch, similar children’s meal ideas had been tested or used in parts of the McDonald’s system. This history can cause confusion about whether 1979 marks the invention or the broader U.S. rollout; it is chiefly associated with the national introduction.
Toys have frequently been tied to films, television characters, sports, and other licensed properties. The product’s name has remained stable even though its contents, packaging, and nutritional standards have changed over time.