Avery Collins
McDonald's once tested the idea of a breakfast Happy Meal in 2016, offering a choice between two McGriddles or an Egg & Cheese McMuffin without bacon, with a side of yogurt or apple slices, and hash browns in select locations. This was part of the company's attempt to capitalize on the success of its all-day breakfast menu, which was introduced in 2015. The test was conducted in 73 stores in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and if successful, McDonald's planned to expand the option nationally. However, there is no evidence that the breakfast Happy Meal was continued beyond the trial phase, as McDonald's removed its All-Day Breakfast Menu during the COVID-19 pandemic. While there are no recent updates on the breakfast Happy Meal, McDonald's may consider reintroducing it or exploring other breakfast options for families and children.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Company | McDonald's |
| Type of meal | Breakfast Happy Meals |
| Availability | Only available in 73 stores in Tulsa, Oklahoma |
| Menu options | Egg-and-cheese McMuffin or two McGriddles cakes |
| Calories | McMuffin option has 260 calories, McGriddles cakes have 240 calories |
| Sides | Hash browns, apples, or yogurt |
| Drink options | Chocolate milk |
| Other options | Pancakes, apple slices |
| Timing | All-day breakfast |
| Target audience | Kids |
| Add-ons | Toys |
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What You'll Learn
- McDonald's trialled breakfast Happy Meals in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2016
- The meal included a choice of an Egg & Cheese McMuffin or two McGriddles, with a side of yogurt, apple slices or hash browns
- The trial was discontinued, possibly due to slow service
- McDonald's has since expanded its all-day breakfast menu to include McGriddles
- McDonald's is testing breakfast Happy Meals again in 2024
McDonald's trialled breakfast Happy Meals in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2016
In September 2016, McDonald's trialled breakfast Happy Meals in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The trial was launched in all 73 McDonald's locations in the city and included a choice between two McGriddles or an Egg & Cheese McMuffin without bacon. The meal also came with a side of yogurt or apple slices, and at lunch and dinner times, fries were offered as an additional option. Select restaurants also offered hash browns.
The trial was an attempt to capitalise on the success of McDonald's all-day breakfast options, which the company introduced in 2015 as part of its general turnaround plan. The all-day breakfast option boosted McDonald's sales for three consecutive financial quarters. Pam Williams, McDonald's USA's director of innovation, told USA Today:
> "All-day breakfast has really been a big hit with our customers, and that started from our customers telling us this is what they wanted."
However, despite the popularity of the all-day breakfast, it is unclear whether the breakfast Happy Meal trial was successful. There is no evidence that consumers outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma, have been able to order a breakfast Happy Meal, suggesting that McDonald's decided against continuing the program. The COVID-19 pandemic may have also played a role in the discontinuation of the breakfast Happy Meal, as McDonald's temporarily removed its All-Day Breakfast Menu during this time.
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$2.15
The meal included a choice of an Egg & Cheese McMuffin or two McGriddles, with a side of yogurt, apple slices or hash browns
In 2016, McDonald's tested the idea of a breakfast Happy Meal in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The meal included a choice of an Egg & Cheese McMuffin or two McGriddles, with a side of yogurt, apple slices or hash browns. At lunch and dinner, fries were also available as a side.
The Egg & Cheese McMuffin option came without bacon and had 260 calories, while the McGriddles option (without egg and meat) had 240 calories. The unhealthiest side option, the hash brown, had around 150 calories, bringing the total calories of the meal to around 400 before a drink was added.
The trial was an attempt to capitalise on the success of McDonald's all-day breakfast options, which had been introduced in 2015 and had boosted sales for three consecutive financial quarters. However, it seems that McDonald's decided against continuing the program, with one source suggesting that the breakfast Happy Meal was not popular enough.
The breakfast Happy Meal was also cumbersome for employees and franchise owners, slowing down service. This may have been another reason why McDonald's chose to discontinue the program.
Since the 2016 trial, McDonald's has continued to make changes to its Happy Meals, offering more fruit-based options and removing gendered toys.
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The trial was discontinued, possibly due to slow service
In 2016, McDonald's trialled the idea of a breakfast Happy Meal. The trial was launched in all 73 of the chain's locations in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The breakfast Happy Meals included a choice between two McGriddles or an Egg & Cheese McMuffin without bacon. The sides were either yogurt or apple slices, except at lunch and dinner times when fries were also an option. Some restaurants also offered hash browns.
Even before the pandemic, McDonald's had started to pare back its breakfast options, allowing individual franchises to choose which options to offer, again citing slower service as a concern. It is possible that the pandemic provided an opportunity for McDonald's to discontinue its All Day Breakfast Menu, which included the breakfast Happy Meal trial.
Despite the discontinuation of the trial, McDonald's has continued to offer all-day breakfast options, including the McGriddle Sandwich, which was added to the national all-day breakfast menu. The company has also made efforts to improve the speed of its drive-thru experience and has switched from margarine to butter.
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McDonald's has since expanded its all-day breakfast menu to include McGriddles
McDonald's has expanded its breakfast menu to include McGriddles, which are sandwiches consisting of fried bacon, egg, and American cheese served on a small pancake with maple flavouring. This addition to the menu is part of McDonald's all-day breakfast options, which have proven to be a hit with customers. The all-day breakfast menu also includes egg McMuffins, sausage McMuffins, and biscuit sandwiches.
In 2016, McDonald's trialled all-day breakfast Happy Meals in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which included a choice between two McGriddles or an Egg & Cheese McMuffin without bacon. The Happy Meal came with a side of yogurt, apple slices, or hash browns. While this trial was a success, there is no evidence that McDonald's expanded the breakfast Happy Meal beyond Tulsa.
The regular McDonald's Happy Meal is a meal for kids that includes a toy. It can include a hamburger or Chicken McNuggets, with kids' fries, apple slices, and a choice of beverage.
While McDonald's has expanded its all-day breakfast menu to include McGriddles, it is unclear whether they plan to reintroduce the breakfast Happy Meal. McDonald's removed the All Day Breakfast from the menu in 2020 to simplify operations in kitchens and improve speed of service. However, with the popularity of the all-day breakfast options, it is possible that McDonald's may bring back the breakfast Happy Meal in the future.
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McDonald's is testing breakfast Happy Meals again in 2024
In 2016, McDonald's trialled a breakfast Happy Meal in 73 locations across Tulsa, Oklahoma. The meal included a choice between two McGriddles or an Egg & Cheese McMuffin, with a side of yogurt or apple slices. At lunch and dinner, fries were also available as a side. Some restaurants also offered hash browns.
The trial was an attempt to capitalise on the success of McDonald's all-day breakfast options, which had been introduced in 2015 and had boosted sales for three consecutive financial quarters. However, it seems that McDonald's decided against continuing the program after the trial. This was potentially due to the cumbersome nature of preparing breakfast meals, which slowed down service.
Despite this, in 2024, there is evidence to suggest that McDonald's may be testing breakfast Happy Meals again in certain locations. A Reddit user reported trying to purchase a Happy Meal breakfast at 7:30 am, but the McDonald's location they visited did not have it. Another user responded that they wanted to buy Happy Meal breakfasts for their child's class.
It is unclear whether McDonald's is officially testing breakfast Happy Meals again, or if these instances are isolated to specific locations. However, it is possible that McDonald's is re-evaluating its breakfast options and considering the reintroduction of the breakfast Happy Meal.
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Frequently asked questions
In 2016, McDonald's trialled breakfast Happy Meals in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The meals included a choice between two McGriddles or an Egg & Cheese McMuffin, with sides of yogurt, apple slices, or hash browns. However, there is no evidence that the option was extended beyond the initial trial, and it appears to have been discontinued.
Breakfast Happy Meals were cumbersome to make and slowed down service, which is the antithesis of fast food. Individual franchises were allowed to choose which breakfast options to offer, and McDonald's decided to focus on its all-day breakfast menu.
McDonald's offers hotcakes, hotcakes and sausage platters, and a Big Breakfast with Hotcakes. However, these options are better suited for adults than children due to portion sizes.
Some quick breakfast alternatives to McDonald's Happy Meals could include pancakes, chocolate milk, apple slices, and yogurt.
Happy Meals are designed to offer families with young children a range of meals that are the ideal size and have child-friendly options. One of the biggest draws for kids is the toy that comes with the meal.
