From The Scoop: Who Invented The Happy Meal?

From the July 14 issue of Gemstone Publishing's The Scoop:
If you're 27 and younger, Happy Meals probably seem to have been in existence as long as McDonald's itself has. For all you know, when the first Golden Arches opened its doors in 1955, there was a ready-made fun pack supplement for children of the Baby Boom.

That's actually not the case. The first Happy Meal made its debut in 1979, two years after Dick Brams, a St. Louis ad manager, came up with the idea and contracted the ad firm of Berstein-Rein to develop a prototype.

The very first Happy Meal concept was circus-themed... and it came with a bunch more premiums than the modern-day Happy Meal does. With the Circus Wagon Happy meal, children could choose between a hamburger or cheeseburger (no nugget option was yet available) and fries, McDonaldland cookies, and a drink were standard. But the real coup were the toys! The meal came with a McDoodler stencil, a puzzle book, a McWrist wallet, an ID bracelet and McDonaldland character erasers. And it only cost one dollar!

We're sure we don't have to tell you that this whole Happy Meal thing immediately went over like gangbusters. By December of '79, McDonald's had already found a way to mine the cross-promotional potential of their new children's meal. The first film-themed Happy Meal debuted that month: The Star Trek Meal for Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Happy Meal toys have become a collecting niche in and of themselves, particularly during the Beanie Baby craze of the late '90s.

Twenty-seven years after their advent and the success of the Happy Meal has yet to wane. Adults may be investing in healthier takeout options than McDonald's for themselves these days, but they're still listening to the loud consumer voices of their children and buying Happy Meals in perpetuity. And now, with healthier options available (Apple Dippers can be substituted for fries and milk for soft drinks), both parties can leave the drive-thru as winners.

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