How to Make the Egg McMuffin
McDonald’s Franchise Owner Dave Peterson Shows Us His Dad’s Invention
In 1971, Herb Peterson, then an owner of three McDonald’s in Santa Barbara, fried an egg in a specially designed circular ring and then slapped it, a cut of Canadian bacon, and a slice of American cheese onto a toasted, buttered English muffin. He saw the creation, which he called the Fast Break Break-Fast and considered a poor man’s eggs benedict, as a way to feed customers before the fast food chain’s traditional 11 a.m. opening.
The move riled the corporate brass. But when McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc came by to taste this rogue menu item, he loved it and gave his blessing. The name was changed to the Egg McMuffin — also the first “Mc” item on today’s Mc-heavy menu — and the sandwich became the chain’s first breakfast offering in 1972.
“It really changed the way the world ate breakfast,” said Herb’s son David Peterson, who now owns six McDonald’s in the area and wrote a book about his dad, called The Good Egg.” Now it’s 35 percent of our business.”
To celebrate the creation, McDonald’s all across the Central Coast will sell the Egg McMuffin for $1 a pop during regular breakfast hours on Tuesday, January 27, in honor of the 7th annual Herb Peterson Day.
