Geeky Lunch Box: McDonald’s Happy Meal

This one is for the kids or the “really self-assured geek” (not to be confused with a hipster), either way the novelty appeal of this lunch tin cannot be denied! A lunch box tin based on the beloved/reviled Happy Meal from McDonald’s.

This is the sort of thing I enjoy posting on this blog, nostalgic items that harken back to carefree times. Anything that provides a positive vibe, even for a few brief moments, can make a big first impression and yield lasting appeal.

The design is pretty straightforward. There is a cradle for a can of pop, an interchangeable divider for food, and that’s pretty much it. You’ll have to add your own toy.

Originally I had designed this to open with two flaps at the top just like a Happy Meal, but decided to go with this layout. May not be watertight when it comes to nasty spills, but all the food is more accessible here. I was also going to include a matching Thermos bottle shaped like a McDonald’s fountain drink, but that made this box much bigger, and took away real estate from the food.

The main goal was to make this compact. This would be about 5 x 5 x 9″, so slightly bigger than the actual Happy Meal (I think). Still makes it small enough to throw in your backpack or handbag.

Note: I should have added a padlock loop, for those who have to share communal fridges at work. I wish there was a better solution for that…