Celebrating 50 Golden Years of The McDonald’s Egg McMuffin
November 03, 2025
The Egg McMuffin isn’t just a breakfast sandwich, it’s a cultural icon. Beloved for its simplicity, flavor, and golden reliability, the Egg McMuffin has brought breakfast to the masses looking for a delicious, ready-to-eat meal in the morning. Now, 50 years since its national debut, the McMuffin is still the hero of countless morning routines. Join us as we toast to the sandwich that transformed breakfast, explore how it has evolved, and celebrate five flavorful decades of the most iconic morning bite.
When was the McMuffin Created?
It all started one day in 1971. Santa Barbara-based franchisee, Herb Peterson, dreamed of a handheld version of an Eggs Benedict. He swapped hollandaise for cheese, stacked Canadian bacon, and cracked an egg into a custom circular ring. And just like that, the breakfast sandwich was born. Later renamed the Egg McMuffin, it hit test markets in 1972 and earned its spot on McDonald’s national menu in 1975. Today, the Egg McMuffin is a fan-favorite at McDonald’s restaurants across the U.S.
From Breakfast Beginner to a Golden Staple
What began as one breakfast sandwich sparked a breakfast revolution. The Egg McMuffin shaped the dawn of McDonald’s morning menu that now includes hotcakes, hash browns, and McGriddles®. Today, breakfast remains one of McDonald’s strongest pillars, with McMuffin alone contributing more than ever to the restaurant’s iconic morning menu.
From Classic to Creative, The McMuffin Evolution
Nothing highlights a sandwich’s fame quite like the creativity of its fans. Over the years, breakfast enthusiasts have reimagined the McMuffin sandwich in countless ways, from sliding a crispy Hash Brown between the layers to swapping in different meats or even doubling up the egg for extra flavor. Each playful remix shows how the McMuffin sandwich isn’t just a menu item, it’s a spark for imagination that has inspired generations to reinvent what breakfast can look like between two halves of an English muffin.
The Spicy McMuffin captures the creativity of our loyal customers. Revived nationwide for the McMuffin 50th anniversary, with a dollop of McDonald’s signature Spicy Pepper Sauce, it’s a nod to the hungry customers that crave new interpretations of the classic sandwich.
Supplier Egg-cellence: Where Does McDonald’s Get Its Eggs?
Behind every Egg McMuffin is a carefully coordinated supply chain built on decades of collaboration with trusted partners. In the U.S. in 2024, McDonald’s continued to source 100% cage-free eggs for items served on its breakfast menu, working alongside egg suppliers like Cargill and producers like Forsman Farms and Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch. In Canada, Burnbrae Farms has been a crucial partner to McDonald’s since the early 1970s and has been the sole supplier since 2003. Burnbrae Farms currently supplies Canada Grade A eggs for McDonald’s McMuffin, McGriddles, and Bagel sandwiches. In 2024, Burnbrae Farms has proudly reached 100% free-run eggs for all Canadian McDonald’s restaurants. This goal was achieved ahead of schedule, further reflecting our ongoing commitment to responsible sourcing. These suppliers are a key reason why the Egg McMuffin remains a long-lasting icon since its launch in 1971.
50 Years, One Iconic Sandwich
As we celebrate the Egg McMuffin’s golden anniversary, we’re marking time and honoring tradition. The 50-year milestone isn’t just about the longevity of the iconic menu item; it’s about the millions of mornings it’s made a little easier along the way. Whether you grabbed one on your first day of work, on the way to class, or just because you craved the warm, toasted comfort, there’s a McMuffin memory for everyone.