Whataburger’s redesigned packaging proves the Happy Meal could be happier

Whataburger is rethinking the fast-food kids meal. The Texas-based burger chain just relaunched its Kids Whatameal with a new focus on an engaging packaging experience over a singular plastic toy. In a sense, the packaging is now the toy: The meals come in a bright, white-and-orange box with a handle on top, an interactive maze printed on the side, and one of five collectible sticker packs inside. “We wanted to build something that was a bit more intentional and experience-led,” Scott Hudler, Whataburger’s chief marketing officer, tells Fast Company. But the experiential strategy is first visible in the food options themselves—essentially by providing kids with choice. “Kids are more likely to eat that full meal when they can have some control of the entrée, the sides, and the drink,” Hudler says. As such, kids can choose from a burger, grilled cheese, and chicken strips or bites, plus french fries or Mott’s applesauce, a drink, and a treat. The packaging came out of extensive user research that took place online and in person at Whataburger’s innovation center, which found that while food is a big driver of the decision, so is agency. The team adapted its design with those findings in mind. Whataburger considered several different formats for the kids meal packaging but ultimately decided on a box with a small handle that’s easy for kids to hold and carry—a handled box tested best because it gave kids a sense of independence and ownership. The packaging is also fun to play with. Whataburger’s research found that while traditional character-based plastic toys are “a nice to have,” sensory toys or activities outperformed plastic toys and even desserts. “In testing, tactile, sensory-driven items performed better,” Hudler says. “Kids consistently gravitated toward things they could actively touch and manipulate,” like stickers, games, activities, and fidget-style pieces. (For a limited time last ye