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!

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.

McDonald's - Target Audience McDonald's targets a broad age range of customers, from children as young as two years old to seniors over the age of 60. The company's Happy Meals, with their colorful packaging and toy promotions, are specifically designed to attract young children.

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?

Then, in 2016, McDonald's removed chocolate milk and cheeseburgers from the menu for Happy Meals, although they could still be specially requested. McDonald's promised that at least 50% of their Happy Meals would have 600 calories or fewer and would cut sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar by 2022.

2. The first Happy Meals contained one of these toys: a stencil, a McDonald-themed wallet, an ID bracelet, a puzzle lock, a spinning top or a McDonaldland character eraser. 3. Over the years, Happy Meals also have been used to promote family-friendly movies – the first being 1979's Star Trek: The Movie.

The Happy Meal toys are designed for ages 2+, while the toddler toys are aimed at 3 and younger.

To attract a wide customer base, McDonald's has leveraged various tactics, including targeted advertising, product innovation, and strategic partnerships. Their marketing campaigns consistently highlight the brand's core offerings and value proposition, focusing on convenience, affordability, and quality.

2. The first Happy Meals contained one of these toys: a stencil, a McDonald-themed wallet, an ID bracelet, a puzzle lock, a spinning top or a McDonaldland character eraser. 3. Over the years, Happy Meals also have been used to promote family-friendly movies – the first being 1979's Star Trek: The Movie.

McDonald's does not stop at toys and Happy Meals when marketing to children. McDonald's has created a notion of 'learning' among parents and children by offering educational mate- rials to teachers and schools, sponsor- ing fundraising events, and having a link called 'Learn' on their website.

McDonald's focus will be on four pillars: menu innovation, store renovations, digital ordering and delivery.

In a statement, the company said this move away from plastic and toward more renewable materials is cost-neutral - meaning it's not a money-saving strategy, but a response to an increased customer demand for climate-consciousness.