Does McDonald's Serve Happy Meals During Breakfast?

Whether you're grabbing breakfast on-the-go before you drop your kiddo off at school, or you're making a quick swing through the drive-through before you head off on a road trip, it's tough to beat breakfast at McDonald's. While there are plenty of kid-friendly options for breakfast, not all locations offer breakfast Happy Meals (mirroring the limitedness of the chain's Adult Happy Meals). To find a breakfast Happy Meal, you'll need to head north, as they're only available in Canada. Breakfast Happy Meals at Canadian McDonald's locations include hotcakes, apple slices (or pineapple chunks, available in some locations) or a hash brown, yogurt, and a drink.

Canada isn't the only country where kids can enjoy a Happy Meal before McDonald's starts serving its lunch menu (at 10:30 a.m. or 11 a.m., depending on your location). Locations in the Philippines serve breakfast Happy Meals as well; alongside hotcakes, however, kids receive a side of fries. McDonald's Malaysia offers hotcakes and Sausage McMuffin Happy Meals, both with a side of a Milo, a popular Malaysian chocolate-malt drink that commonly complements breakfast. Fun fact: While the history on how Happy Meals came to be isn't totally clear, many believe that they got their start in Guatemala. Unfortunately, though, McDonald's in the United States do not serve breakfast-specific Happy Meals.

If you're not able to get your hands on a breakfast Happy Meal at your local McDonald's, no worries — you've still got options. For many kids, the Happy Meal is all about the toy (even if your local McDonald's isn't currently offering one of the best Happy Meal toys of all time). McDonald's corporate policy actually dictates that Happy Meal toys can be purchased without a meal, so you should be able to walk up to the counter and ask for a toy alongside your child's breakfast. Once you've got your toy in hand, you can get to work putting together the other components of a kid-friendly breakfast that rivals those offered in Canada, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

If you're trying to create a kid-friendly meal for your little one, you have plenty of options. McDonald's breakfast sandwiches are an easy hit for many kids, but you can also choose other menu favorites like hotcakes, fruit and maple oatmeal, and bagels or English muffins. Try tacking on a hash brown or two, as well as a side of bacon or sausage. You can also add plenty of kid-friendly drinks onto your meal at any time of day. If your little one isn't a fan of orange juice, opt for an apple juice box, or white or chocolate milk to help them start their day right.