McDonald’s started to remove toys from Happy Meals in the late 1990s, when it became apparent that some parents were choosing not to include the meals in their children’s diets. The company cited that Happy Meals were meant as a snack, and that the toy selections were intended to appeal to children.
However, some parents still feel that the Happy Meals are an important part of their children’s diets, and they argue that the toys are a way to encourage children to eat their meals. McDonald’s stopped including toys in Happy Meals in 2003, citing that the toy selections had become too repetitive.
