McDonald’s first national children’s meal promotion in the United States was the Happy Meal, introduced in 1979.
The Happy Meal combined a child-sized serving with a toy and packaging designed for children. Its concept had been tested regionally before McDonald’s expanded it nationally across the United States.
The product helped make packaging and collectibles an important part of McDonald’s family branding. Customers sometimes remember the Happy Meal as having launched everywhere at the same time, but McDonald’s tested versions in selected markets before the national rollout.
The Happy Meal is distinct from an ordinary value meal because its identity centers on the child-focused package and included toy. It became one of McDonald’s most recognizable branded products and was later adapted for markets around the world.