This Old-School Burger Chain Invented Happy Meals. Then McDonald's Stole The Idea

The first McDonald's Happy Meals were sold in June 1979 for $1. The toys included were a McDonald's wallet, bracelet, stencil, puzzle lock, top, and erasers. Now, almost 50 years later, McDonald's offers these iconic kids meals in restaurants in over 100 countries, and sells around one billion each year. Yet it might surprise you to find out that the most famous burger chain in America did not actually invent the Happy Meal — and may have even stolen it from a rival.

Bob Bernstein is often credited as the person who invented Happy Meals in the late 1970s. An advertising executive who handled marketing for McDonald's, he was tasked with helping the chain appeal to kids and families. At the time, diners were more partial to Burger Chef, which had started offering kids small toys along with their meals. Burger Chef was a Midwest burger giant with a dramatic rise and fall you may have forgotten about.

Founded in 1957 in Indianapolis, Indiana, by 1971, the chain was hot on McDonald's heels, competing for the title of the biggest hamburger chain in the country with over 1,200 restaurants. In an attempt to draw more kids into the restaurants, the company started selling Fun Meals in 1973. Each meal came with a burger, fries, drink, and dessert — as well as a kid's toy – in a branded box featuring the chain's mascots as well as puzzles and games. Six years later when McDonald's started selling the exact same thing, Burger Chef filed a lawsuit claiming the company stole its marketing and packaging. Unfortunately, because Burger Chef had not trademarked or patented its design, the lawsuit was dismissed.

In the early 1960s, both McDonald's and Burger Chef were using cartoon chefs as mascots. Burger Chef's was meant to look like a childlike chef, featuring an apron and tall chef's hat. One of McDonald's first mascots was Speedee, a pudgy chef with a hamburger-shaped head.

By 1965, Burger Chef had expanded to over 400 locations in small towns throughout America. That year, the company introduced the Big Shef, a double burger with three buns, cheese, lettuce, and special sauce — basically the exact same sandwich as McDonald's Big Mac, which was introduced in 1968. Burger Chef also began selling a hot fish sandwich in 1964 for 25 cents. It was marketed as a blue water boned fish filet served on a toasted bun with a secret sauce. McDonald's famous Filet-O-Fish sandwich was created in 1962 and added to the chain's national menu in 1965 at 29 cents.

Burger Chef and McDonald's were also pioneers of the fast food brand mascot. McDonald's introduced Ronald McDonald in 1963, while Burger Chef took its mascot game a step further, working with famous advertising agency Ogilvy and Mather in 1971 to create a whole family of kid-friendly costumed characters. Burger Chef and Jeff, Count Fangburger, the Great Burgerini, Burgerilla, and Cackleburger were used in print marketing, TV ads, and meet and greets to attract families to the restaurants. McDonald's added Grimace and Hamburglar to its stable of mascots that same year.