Woman Who Invented McDonald's Happy Meal Dies at 87

[left-of-center2012]

Source: Newsweek

A Guatemalan businesswoman who is considered to be the inventor of the McDonald's Happy Meal died on September 6 at the age of 87, after spending much of her life with the company. Yolanda Fernández de Cofiño and her husband, José María Cofiño, purchased the first McDonald's franchise in Guatemala in 1974 and she continued to run it until handing the franchise over to her children in 2018.

Fernández de Cofiño is credited with inventing the Happy Meal in the 1970s when she had the idea to create a meal specifically designed to help parents feed their children more easily. When she noticed that portions on the McDonald's menu could be too large for children, Fernández de Cofiño began to offer a meal with smaller portions more suitable for children, calling it the "Ronald Menu." That meal included a hamburger, small fries and a sundae, all in a bag, making it easier for parents to buy their children a meal without spending too much time examining the restaurant's menu.

The "Ronald Menu" proved successful and soon McDonald's management in Chicago took notice. The company asked Bob Bernstein, founder and CEO of the marketing agency Bernstein-Rein, to develop the concept. Though Bernstein is often considered the creator of the ‘Happy Meal’, the original concept was Fernández de Cofiño's and the company presented her with a "Ronald Award" in 1982 for creating the ‘Ronald Menu’.

The Happy Meal was rolled out throughout the U.S. in 1979 and the product contained more options—such as a cheeseburger or hamburger—and included the toy which is now the most famous part of the kids' meal. The meal also came in a colorful and entertaining box, which remains the case today.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/yolanda-fernandez-de-cofino-invented-mcdonalds-happy-meal-dies-87-1626995

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However, the Happy Meal was not Fernández de Cofiño's only contribution to McDonald's. She also originated the concept of having children's parties in the restaurants and was given a Ronald Award in 1980 for the idea. She went on to receive the "Golden Arches" award, which is the highest award McDonald's gives, as well as other national and international awards.

[dameatball]

1. My kids were born 1979 - 1985. They loved Happy Meals. Kinda like I was with toys in cereal boxes.

[left-of-center2012]

2. "toys in cereal boxes"

And me with Cracker Jacks !

[twodogsbarking]

5. 45 rpm records on the back of cereal boxes

https://www.mrbreakfast.com/list.asp?id=5

[BHDem53]

10. Baseball cards on the back of cereal boxes.

[GusBob]

3. Clever marketing

each portion of the meal like a little present you unwrap, combine that with a drive thru and a remote control and you have the recipe for a sedentary unhealthy lifestyle

[Sneederbunk]

4. So she's the one.

[AllaN01Bear]

6. my late mom would have loved this as many times she would order from the childrens

menu @ many restraunts we visited .
Fernández de Cofiño' silent key.

/revision/latest?cb=20090729102006

[peppertree]

7. To think that in a recent move, I gave a handful of early 80s HappyMeal figurines to the thrift sto

The 'Astrosniks', if anyone remembers those.

[forgotmylogin]

8. Those early ones were the best!

I remember trying several times to get the package that included an entire boardgame on the outer box!

[BumRushDaShow]

9. I heard this story on the radio but just heard blips of it

outside of "Happy Meal" and her name... Glad to see what they were talking about.

I know over the years, the choices for the meals were revised to supposedly make them more "healthy", with less calories, salt, and sugar, and including fruit, options for milk or juice or water instead of soda, and the obvious kids' favorite of chicken nuggets (as an alternate to the burgers).

I remember back when the first set of Batman movies came out (starting in 1989) McDonald's had Happy Meals with toys of the characters from the 2nd one ("Batman Returns" ). I ended up getting a Catwoman one and I think a Penguin one. I had them on my bookcase at work.





Eventually gave them to my youngest nephew like 20 years later and he loved the little Catwoman car because the "tail" at the back "wagged" as you rolled the little car. I think the little umbrella on the front of the Penguin's car spun around.

R.I.P. to her and obviously that idea was popular as can be!

[iluvtennis]

11. Rest in Peace Yolanda Fernndez de Cofio and May your Memory be a Blessing. My kids (and I)

loved happy meals.

[IrishEyes]

12. When I go to McDonalds, I get a happy meal for myself.

It is just the right amount of food for me. I rarely go to McDonalds but sometimes I get a craving. I haven't been a kid for a very long time. My parents never fed us fast food so I didn't get happy meals when I was a kid.

I'm sure parents appreciate this woman's idea. It was a smart move. May she rest in peace.

[left-of-center2012]

13. My childhood was in the 1950s

We lived in rural Pennsylvania.
The only fast food joints I can remember near us were one A&W root beer stand,
and one Dairy Queen.

[Skittles]

15. omg

those A&Ws were the BOMB

[NewEnglandAutumn]

14. I disagree the concept was a rip off

Burger Chef had kids meals before McDonalds. In fact Burger Chef was ahead of the curve in several ways they just couldn't market them as well as other fast food restaurants.

[Steelrolled]

16. Their marketing was good enough that I still remember "Burger Chef and Jeff"