McDonald’s Happy Meal is arguably the most popular children’s meal in the world. It’s been around since the late 1970s and has since become an integral part of most childhoods.
When the Happy Meal was first introduced in the late 1970s, it sold for around $1.10 per meal. If you factor in today’s inflation, that translates to almost $8 today.
But how much is a McDonald’s Happy Meal today? I’ll answer that question and more in this article.
In this article
- McDonald’s Happy Meal Prices: Research Summary
- Which State Is McDonald’s Happy Meal the Cheapest?
- Which State Is McDonald’s Happy Meal the Most Expensive?
- What’s the Average Price of a McDonald’s Happy Meal?
- McDonald’s Happy Meal Price Per State
- What’s In a McDonald’s Happy Meal?
- Does the McNugget Happy Meal Cost More than the Burger Happy Meal?
McDonald’s Happy Meal Prices: Research Summary
- McDonald’s Happy Meal is most expensive in Tuscan, Arizona at $7.99 per meal.
- McDonald’s Happy Meal is cheapest in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at $3.19 per meal.
- The average price of a Happy Meal in the United States is $5.64.
- McDonald’s Happy Meals account for more than 14.6% of the chain’s total sales, generating $10 million in revenue per day worldwide.
- Beyond the classic hamburger Happy Meal, options include 4 pc. and 6 pc. Chicken McNugget Happy Meals, with minor price differences between the hamburger and Chicken McNugget meals.
Which State Is McDonald’s Happy Meal the Cheapest?
The McDonald’s Happy Meal, featuring a classic hamburger, kid-sized fries, apple slices, and a drink, is most affordable in Albuquerque, New Mexico, priced at just $3.19.
Following close behind are Charlotte, North Carolina, at $4.01, and Wichita, Kansas, at $4.49.
Other cities like Houston and Fort Worth, Texas, along with Long Beach, California, and Casper, Wyoming, also offer the Happy Meal at a relatively low cost of $4.59.
Here are the states where you’ll find the McDonald’s Happy Meal for under $5:
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- Kansas
- Illinois
- Texas (except San Antonio and Dallas)
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Which State Is McDonald’s Happy Meal the Most Expensive?
The most expensive McDonald’s Happy Meals are found in Arizona, specifically Tucson, priced at $7.99. Other states with high Happy Meal prices include Washington DC at $7.69, San Diego, California at $7.49, and both Boston, Massachusetts, and Williston, Vermont, at over $7.
States like California, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania all offer Happy Meals exceeding $6, reflecting the higher cost of living or operational costs in these areas.
The following states offer McDonald’s Happy Meals at prices exceeding $6:
- California
- Delaware
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- North Dakota
- Pennsylvania
What’s the Average Price of a McDonald’s Happy Meal?
To get the average price of a McDonald’s Happy Meal, we calculated the sum of prices from the table below and divided it by the total number of entries. The average price for a McDonald’s Happy Meal is $5.64.
McDonald’s Happy Meal Price Per State
For McDonald’s Happy Meal pricing across states, the lowest cost is $3.19 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, while the highest reaches up to $7.99 in Tucson, Arizona. The average national price hovers around $5.64. These prices reflect the variety of Happy Meal options available, including the classic hamburger meal and variations with Chicken McNuggets.
| City | Sate | Hamburger Happy Meal | 4 pc. Chicken McNugget Happy Meal | 6 pc. Chicken McNuggets Happy Meal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxford | Alabama | $5.29 | $5.89 | $6.69 |
| Anchorage | Alaska | $7.05 | $7.30 | $7.70 |
| Phoenix | Arizona | $4.89 | $5.09 | $6.48 |
| Tucson | Arizona | $7.99 | $8.89 | $10.39 |
| Mesa | Arizona | $5.29 | $5.99 | $7.09 |
| Little Rock | Arkansas | $5.19 | $5.99 | $6.39 |
| Los Angeles | California | $6.33 | $7.49 | $8.21 |
| San Diego | California | $7.49 | $8.99 | $10.49 |
| San Jose | California | $5.59 | $6.79 | $7.29 |
| San Francisco | California | $6.29 | $7.59 | $9.23 |
| Fresno | California | $4.99 | $5.59 | $6.39 |
| Sacramento | California | $6.89 | $7.39 | $8.19 |
| Long Beach | California | $4.59 | $5.12 | $5.59 |
| Oakland | California | $5.59 | $5.69 | $7.19 |
| Bakersfield | California | $5.49 | $5.79 | $6.09 |
| Denver | Colorado | $5.89 | $6.49 | $7.19 |
| Colorado Springs | Colorado | $5.19 | $5.39 | $5.99 |
| Aurora | Colorado | $5.69 | $6.49 | $6.79 |
| Hartford | Connecticut | $5.59 | $5.99 | N/A |
| Washington | DC | $7.69 | $7.79 | $9.09 |
| Wilmington | Delaware | $6.99 | $8.09 | $8.69 |
| Jacksonville | Florida | $4.69 | $5.89 | $6.69 |
| Miami | Florida | $6.35 | $7.19 | $7.67 |
| Atlanta | Georgia | $5.99 | $6.29 | $7.09 |
| Honolulu | Hawaii | $5.39 | $6.19 | $7.29 |
| Twin Falls | Idaho | $5.79 | $6.29 | $6.89 |
| Chicago | Illinois | $4.99 | $5.29 | $6.19 |
| Indianapolis | Indiana | $5.89 | $6.19 | N/A |
| Cedar Rapids | Iowa | $5.19 | $5.39 | $6.19 |
| Wichita | Kansas | $4.49 | $4.89 | $5.39 |
| Louisville | Kentucky | $6.69 | $6.79 | N/A |
| Lafayette | Louisiana | $4.89 | $5.39 | $6.09 |
| Westbrook | Maine | $5.62 | $6.29 | $7.74 |
| Baltimore | Maryland | $6.39 | $6.39 | $6.99 |
| Boston | Massachusetts | $7.29 | $7.59 | $8.09 |
| Detroit | Michigan | $5.29 | $5.89 | $6.69 |
| Minneapolis | Minnesota | $5.39 | $6.09 | $6.89 |
| Jackson | Mississippi | $4.71 | $5.18 | $6.59 |
| Kansas City | Missouri | $5.99 | $6.59 | $7.39 |
| St. Louis | Missouri | $6.89 | $7.19 | $7.69 |
| Billings | Montana | $5.19 | $5.69 | $6.89 |
| Omaha | Nebraska | $5.79 | $5.89 | $6.29 |
| Las Vegas | Nevada | $5.19 | $5.99 | $7.89 |
| Concord | New Hampshire | $6.89 | $7.69 | $8.59 |
| Newark | New Jersey | $5.69 | $5.89 | $5.99 |
| Albuquerque | New Mexico | $3.19 | $4.59 | $6.69 |
| New York City | New York | $5.99 | $6.49 | $7.89 |
| Charlotte | North Carolina | $4.01 | $4.89 | $4.99 |
| Raleigh | North Carolina | $4.89 | $5.39 | $6.39 |
| Bismarck | North Dakota | $6.19 | $6.49 | $7.19 |
| Columbus | Ohio | $5.69 | $6.09 | $6.99 |
| Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | $5.49 | $6.19 | $6.89 |
| Tulsa | Oklahoma | $4.79 | $5.39 | $6.89 |
| Portland | Oregon | $5.70 | $6.90 | $7.59 |
| Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | $6.29 | $6.49 | $7.09 |
| East Greenwich | Rhode Island | $6.39 | $6.79 | $7.69 |
| Columbia | South Carolina | $6.01 | $6.59 | $7.60 |
| Sioux Falls | South Dakota | $5.29 | $5.79 | $6.29 |
| Nashville | Tennessee | $5.49 | $6.39 | $7.19 |
| Memphis | Tennessee | $5.59 | $6.19 | $6.89 |
| Houston | Texas | $4.59 | $5.65 | $5.79 |
| San Antonio | Texas | $5.30 | $5.65 | $7.10 |
| Dallas | Texas | $5.39 | $5.39 | $5.99 |
| Austin | Texas | $4.69 | $5.09 | $5.39 |
| Fort Worth | Texas | $4.59 | $5.39 | $5.89 |
| El Paso | Texas | $4.60 | $6.49 | $7.19 |
| Salt Lake City | Utah | $5.90 | $6.42 | $7.65 |
| Williston | Vermont | $7.19 | $7.69 | $8.99 |
| Virginia Beach | Virginia | $4.79 | $4.79 | $5.99 |
| Arlington | Virginia | $5.79 | $6.79 | $7.89 |
| Seattle | Washington | $6.39 | $6.77 | $7.54 |
| Bridgeport | West Virginia | $4.89 | $5.19 | $8.69 |
| Milwaukee | Wisconsin | $4.89 | $5.29 | $6.29 |
| Casper | Wyoming | $4.59 | $5.39 | $6.19 |
What’s In a McDonald’s Happy Meal?
The McDonald’s Happy Meal comes with a hamburger, small fries, fresh apple slices, and a kid’s drink, totaling 475 calories. Drink options include milk, chocolate milk, water, and organic juice. Each meal also comes with a toy.
For children who aren’t too fond of burgers, parents can opt for the Chicken McNuggets Happy Meal instead. Aside from the Chicken McNugget, this version includes the same items as the regular Happy Meal: kid-sized fries, apple slices, a drink of choice, and, of course, a toy.
As for the cost, the average price difference between a regular Happy Meal and Chicken McNuggets Happy Meal is approximately $0.65.
Does the McNugget Happy Meal Cost More than the Burger Happy Meal?
In the United States, the McNugget Happy Meal often costs more than the regular Happy Meal. The difference isn’t all that much compared to the regular Happy Meal; around an extra dollar for the four-piece meal and $2 for the six-piece meal.
