Guatemala Hispanic Heritage: Happy meals migrated from Guatemala The McDonald's Happy Meal has become a childhood staple around the world, but few know the marketing idea began in Guatemala as "Ronald's menu." What happened: Jose Maria Cofiño and Yolanda Fernández de Cofiño founded the first McDonald's in Guatemala in 1974.

Enjoy an easy meal for kids when you order a Happy Meal® with options like a Hamburger or Chicken McNuggets®, complete with kids fries, apple slices, choice of beverage, and a Happy Meal toy!

It's a dietary staple. And a major part of what draws kids to McDonald's - and with them their families - over and over again are the toys. Of course it is. How many people, including kids, even if they like the white-bread bun dwarfing a barely there meat patty, would call the Happy Meal a great meal?

The Happy Meal Challenge consists of one McDonalds Happy Meal (Cheeseburger, Small Fries, Small Coke (no ice)), to be eaten as quickly as possible.

The limited-edition meal box is a “grownup” version of the Happy Meals McDonald's target audience enjoyed as kids, complete with prizes and an illustrated box with the golden arches as handles. Meals include a Big Mac or 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, fries and a drink.

A Happy Meal is a kids' meal usually sold at the American fast food restaurant chain McDonald's since June 1979. A small toy or book is included with the food, both of which are usually contained in a red cardboard box with a yellow smiley face and the McDonald's logo.

Enjoy an easy meal for kids when you order a Happy Meal® with options like a Hamburger or Chicken McNuggets®, complete with kids fries, apple slices, choice of beverage, and a Happy Meal toy!

New research has found that Happy Meal boxes may be sending gender-biased messages to young boys and girls. According to the research, subtle differences in language on Happy Meal boxes suggest that girls are less active, less capable and in need of more detailed instructions than their male counterparts.

McDonald's Hamburger Happy Meal® includes a juicy McDonald's Hamburger with kid-sized World Famous Fries® and Apple Slices. Then pick a kid's drink: 1% Low Fat Milk Jug, Reduced Sugar* Low Fat Chocolate Milk, DASANI® Water, or Honest Kids® Appley Ever After® Organic Juice Drink.

The kids would get 10 percent less sodium and 10 percent fewer calories from fat, the researchers report in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. "While 54 calories at a given meal is a small reduction, small changes that affect a wide number of people can make a large impact," Elbel said in a statement.

With more than 38,000 McDonald's restaurants all over the world, it may not be surprising to learn that the fast food giant sells about a billion (with a "b") Happy Meals a year to toy-fixated children (about 2.7 million per day).

Scalability and longevity: The offer has global appeal and is scalable across geographies. Furthermore, many promotions only run for a few weeks, driving feast and famine in the supply chain. The Happy Meal has been running for decades, with resulting benefits in efficiency and consumer recognition.