McDonald's first nationally distributed toy-themed children's meal was called the Happy Meal.
The Happy Meal was introduced nationally in the United States in 1979. It combined a child-sized food selection with a toy and used a specially designed package to create a product aimed directly at children and families.
Its branding made the meal more than a smaller portion of an adult order. The box became a promotional surface for toys, characters, seasonal campaigns, and later entertainment partnerships. This format helped McDonald's build a durable family-oriented identity.
The Happy Meal is sometimes confused with earlier regional children's promotions or with ordinary children's menu items. The defining national product name is Happy Meal, and its U.S. national introduction date is 1979.