Yolanda Fernández de Cofiño (29 July 1934 – 6 September 2021), also referred to as Doña Yoly,[1] was a Chilean-Guatemalan businesswoman and philanthropist.
She managed the McDonald's franchise in Guatemala from its start in 1974 and is recognized for having introduced a concept for a small children's menu to the company that would lead to the creation of the "Happy Meal".
[5] The idea was noticed by executives at the McDonald's corporate offices in the US, who advised her to present the menu in the World Franchisee Convention in 1977.
[2] Another innovation that was implemented by Fernández de Cofiño locally and then adopted by McDonald's internationally was the concept of birthday celebrations in the restaurants.
[2][1] After her husband died, Fernández de Cofiño continued managing the restaurant chain; in 2006 she acquired the franchises for El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, establishing "McDonald's Mesoamérica".