The First Fast Food Chain To Offer Kids' Meals Was Also McDonald's Biggest Rival

The Happy Meal is an iconic feature of most people's childhood memories, but the idea didn't wholly originate with McDonald's. Back in the early 1970s, Burger Chef was the go-to fast food joint, and they coined the Fun Meal for their younger consumers to enjoy.

The Fun Meal was the first of its kind. Released in 1973, it featured a small colorful box covered, inside and out, in bright pictures and games to keep kids occupied. Inside, it included a burger, French fries, a dessert, a drink, and a toy. Sound familiar? When McDonald's came out with the Happy Meal in 1979, Burger Chef was not impressed with the likeness. They actually sued McDonald's but eventually lost, which is interesting given how obviously similar the meals were. Both chains even sported colorful mascots. A second chain, Burger King, also threw their hat in the ring with a Fun School Meal, and Burger Chef again took legal action. This time, Burger Chef came out on top and the case didn't even make it to court. Burger King settled when they realized they flew a little too close to the sun with their kids' meal.

Still, the Fun Meal had a great run throughout the 1970s, even partnering with the Star Wars franchise in 1978 for a custom collection. These boxes were decorated to the nines with the main characters and memorabilia. You can actually find some of these now-vintage pieces for sale on eBay, and they'd cost you a pretty penny.

Although not the first fast food chain, Burger Chef arguably set the stage for a lot of the greats of today. They used a patented flame broiler for their burgers, like Burger King does today. Their soft serve ice cream machine was a hit that soon caught on as an easy way to get affordable desserts out quickly, as is the case with McDonald's famous treat. But their business acumen was also something to be studied. The chain expanded rapidly in a relatively short timeframe and their owners struggled to keep up. Locations started closing all over the United States as Burger Chef became too big of a beast to tame.

Mind you, they remained ultimately successful. They were acquired by Hardee's Food Systems Inc. in 1982 for $44 million. In modern money, that's over $140 million. Many of the remaining locations were converted to Hardee's restaurants, though the chain has had its fair share of troubles, too. In fact, Hardees paid tribute to Burger Chef in 2007 by relaunching the Big Shef burger, a signature cheeseburger from the defunct chain. It was only available in limited locations in Indiana and Ohio, where Burger Chef had a large market. Hardee's executive vice president of marketing, Brad Haley, said, "The response was overwhelming" (via NRN), showing that while Burger Chef may not rank among its fellow chains anymore, it is certainly not forgotten.