happy meal

noun

A restaurant fast food meal option for a child, which is usually boxed and includes a toy; typically comprising a main dish, a side dish (usually French fries), a drink (frequently a juice box), and dessert (frequently a cookie).

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

happy meal1

nounhappy meal (plural happy meals)

plural happy meals · alternative Happy Meal

  1. A restaurant fast food meal option for a child, which is usually boxed and includes a toy; typically comprising a main dish, a side dish (usually French fries), a drink (frequently a juice box), and dessert (frequently a cookie).

Happy Meal2

nounHappy Meal (plural Happy Meals)

plural Happy Meals · alternative happy meal

  1. A McDonald's brand boxed kid's meal.
  2. Alternative letter-case form of happy meal (“any fast food restaurant kid's meal”).

Origin

happy meal · noun

From happy + meal, from Happy Meal. From being a meal that is supposed to bring joy. A genericization of the McDonald's trademark Happy Meal.

Full word history & related roots →

Happy Meal · noun

From happy + meal. From being a meal that is supposed to bring joy. Coined by the McDonald's fast food restaurant chain.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

happy meal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/happy%20meal

MLA

“happy meal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/happy%20meal. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “happy meal,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/happy%20meal.

Source: happy meal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.