It’s official… I’m old.
An impromptu trip to McDonald’s with my preschooler late yesterday assured me of this fact.
My daughter is partial to Ronald’s Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich and rarely ever requests a Happy Meal unless the toy is too good to resist. So when we entered the fast food giant yesterday and she saw the huge Happy Meal display containing dozens of stuffed animals, she just about fainted.
She is the queen of fluffy fake pets, after all.
The reason for the colorful menagerie of mini fluffballs: McDonald’s is celebrating the 30th birthday of its iconic Happy Meals.
Happy birthday Happy Meal!
Never mind that I am several years older than you… it’s not your fault.
However, I do blame McDonald’s for driving home the point that time flies, and the fact that my daughter is now part of another generation of Happy Meal consumers, is not one that makes me feel like a spring chicken.
Speaking of chicken, did you know that today the most popular Happy Meal contains chicken McNuggets, apple dippers low fat caramel dip and one-percent low fat milk (or so claims McDonald’s execs)?
And to think when the classic kid’s meal was first introduced in 1979 all pint-sized Mickey D fans got was a small box housing a hamburger, French fries, a toy, and a soda on the side. Thirty years later, the Happy Meal has become a fast food staple that has revolutionized the industry… and taken a bite out of my wallet.
For example, yesterday, what should have been a meal that cost less than $5, turned into one that cost me way more.
Why? Because mommy is getting weak in her old age and allowed her stuffed animal obsessed daughter to pick out two additional Teenie Beanie Babies to go along with the one that was included in her Happy Meal.
In a move that screams “blast from the past,” McDonald’s is once again handing out Teenie Beanie Babies in its Happy Meals, and for good reason. According to McDonald’s execs, when the fast food guru first gave away the little creatures in April 1997 it ignited a national craze for the stuffed animals. So, now, in honor of the Happy Meal’s 30th birthday, McDonald’s is featuring a new Teenie Beanie Baby in its kid’s meals each day for the next 30 days (actually, I think the promotion runs for about 24 more days.)
Yesterday my preschooler scored Chill the Penguin, Pico the Chihuahua and Hoppers the Frog. She let them sit on her lap and watch while she downed her McNuggets, fries and Powerade.
I watched too, and lamented the fact that the Happy Meals of my day included much simpler fare, such as the McDoodler stencil, puzzle lock, McWrist wallet, ID bracelet, spinning tops and McDonaldland character erasers.
Yup, I’m old.
Related Articles:
Kids, Parents, Fast Food and NON-Melting Ice Cream
Fast Food Kids’ Meals—How Healthy Are They?
Kids And Juice—Are They A Healthy Mix?
Is There Such A Thing As A Healthy Hamburger?