Happy Chef - Tip Top Restaurant Childrens Menu mask (1960s) - Las Vegas (5th and Charleston)

Step back into the mid-century dining scene of Las Vegas with this whimsical Tip Top Restaurant “Happy Chef” paper mask. Distributed in the 1960s at the Tip Top Restaurant, located at 5th and Charleston in Las Vegas, Nevada, this mask was printed directly on the children’s menu—designed to entertain kids while their parents enjoyed a meal.

The reverse side proudly displays the children’s menu offerings: a hamburger or hot dog, french fries, and a choice of hot chocolate or chocolate milk—all for just 70 cents. This small detail offers a charming snapshot of postwar American family dining culture, when restaurants across the country used colorful premiums, mascots, and paper ephemera to create a family-friendly atmosphere.

Las Vegas in the 1960s was exploding with growth—not just in glamorous casinos and lounges, but also in local eateries that catered to the families who built the city. The Tip Top’s “Happy Chef” was part of that era, capturing both the innocence of childhood and the affordability of dining out in a booming city.

Origin: Tip Top Restaurant, Las Vegas, NV (5th & Charleston)

Date: 1960s

Format: Paper children’s menu with cut-out “Happy Chef” mask

Size: 10 inches by 14 ½ inches

Condition: Bright and complete, showing the full menu text and mask design