A brief and delicious history of the Egg McMuffin ®

The Beginning of Our Famous Breakfast Sandwich

It’s hard to imagine, but we didn’t always serve breakfast.

That all changed in 1970, when a few operators began to consider developing a breakfast menu for U.S. restaurants. Not long after, the Egg McMuffin burst onto the scene – and it’s been a popular staple for nearly 50 years.

The Development of The Egg McMuffin Origin Story

An Owner/Operator in Santa Barbara, California – Herb Peterson – believes that McDonald’s needs a unique product to ensure a top-performing breakfast menu.

At first, Herb makes a version of Eggs Benedict, but determines packaged Hollandaise sauce doesn’t do the trick. He replaces the Hollandaise sauce with a slice of cheese, adds a slice of Canadian bacon, and the Egg McMuffin is born (but it’s not yet called an Egg McMuffin.) 

In another innovative move, Peterson also develops Teflon rings to give the fresh-cracked eggs the rounded shape of an English muffin.

The Egg McMuffin – an open-faced sandwich, served on a small tray with honey or jam – enters test markets. It costs 63 cents.

The national roll-out of Egg McMuffin is completed.

The McDonald’s Breakfast Menu is Born

McDonald's officially adds a breakfast line to its national U.S. menu. The line includes the Egg McMuffin, hotcakes, toasted English muffin, scrambled eggs, sausage, hash browns and a danish. 

Now, Egg McMuffins are as beloved as ever. They may look a little different than they did in 1971, but their star quality is undeniable. Are you a fan of the Egg McMuffin?