McDonald's first nationally distributed character-themed meal, introduced in 1979, was the Happy Meal.
The Happy Meal was designed as a child-oriented package containing a small meal and a toy. Its standardized box and collectible promotions made the meal itself a major part of McDonald's branding, not merely a way to bundle existing menu items.
Before the national launch, similar children's meal ideas had been tested in selected markets. The nationwide product helped McDonald's turn packaging, toys, and licensed characters into recurring parts of the customer experience.
The name is sometimes confused with specific toy campaigns or with later children's menu products. “Happy Meal” is the enduring product name; individual promotions have changed repeatedly. The concept also helped establish McDonald's as a major participant in fast-food entertainment marketing.