Herb Peterson
Encyclopedia
Herbert Ralph "Herb" Peterson (January 5, 1919 – March 25, 2008) was an American
fast food
executive and food scientist most known for being the inventor of the McDonald's
Egg McMuffin in 1972. The breakfast business that he pioneered with this item had grown to an estimated $4-5 billion dollars in annual revenues for the fast food restaurant chain McDonald's by 1993.
As a vice president at D'Arcy Advertising in Chicago
, which was McDonald's in-house advertising
arm, Peterson coined McDonald's first national advertising slogan
, "Where Quality Starts Fresh Every Day." He later became a franchise co-owner and the operator of six McDonald's restaurants in and around Santa Barbara, California
.
Peterson developed the Egg McMuffin, which has become a McDonald's breakfast signature item, in 1972. Peterson was said to like eggs benedict
, so he worked to develop a breakfast item which was similar to it for the fast food
chain. Peterson eventually came up with the Egg McMuffin, which was an egg sandwich
consisting of an egg formed in a Teflon circle with the yolks
broken, topped with Canadian bacon
and a slice of cheese
. The Egg McMuffin was served as an open faced sandwich on a buttered and toasted English muffin
.
The Egg McMuffin was first sold at a McDonald's in Goleta, California
(near Santa Barbara), which Peterson co-owned with his son, David Peterson.
Peterson died in Santa Barbara on March 25, 2008, at the age of 89. He was survived by his wife, son and three daughters. A memorial service
for Peterson was held on April 23, 2008, in Montecito, California
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
executive and food scientist most known for being the inventor of the McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
Egg McMuffin in 1972. The breakfast business that he pioneered with this item had grown to an estimated $4-5 billion dollars in annual revenues for the fast food restaurant chain McDonald's by 1993.
As a vice president at D'Arcy Advertising in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, which was McDonald's in-house advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
arm, Peterson coined McDonald's first national advertising slogan
Advertising slogan
Advertising slogans are short, often memorable phrases used in advertising campaigns. They are claimed to be the most effective means of drawing attention to one or more aspects of a product. A strapline is a British term used as a secondary sentence attached to a brand name...
, "Where Quality Starts Fresh Every Day." He later became a franchise co-owner and the operator of six McDonald's restaurants in and around Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
.
Peterson developed the Egg McMuffin, which has become a McDonald's breakfast signature item, in 1972. Peterson was said to like eggs benedict
Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict is a dish that consists of two halves of an English muffin, topped with ham or bacon, poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce.-Origin:There are conflicting accounts as to the origin of Eggs Benedict, including:...
, so he worked to develop a breakfast item which was similar to it for the fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
chain. Peterson eventually came up with the Egg McMuffin, which was an egg sandwich
Egg sandwich
An egg sandwich is a sandwich with some kind of egg filling. Sliced boiled eggs or egg salad are popular options. Fried egg and scrambled egg sandwiches are an alternative for those who want a hot meal.- Types of egg sandwich :...
consisting of an egg formed in a Teflon circle with the yolks
Egg yolk
An egg yolk is a part of an egg which feeds the developing embryo. The egg yolk is suspended in the egg white by one or two spiral bands of tissue called the chalazae...
broken, topped with Canadian bacon
Back bacon
Back bacon is bacon prepared from centre-cut boneless pork loin. The name refers to the cut of meat, which is from the back, and distinguishes it from other bacon made from pork belly or other cuts. Unlike other bacon, back bacon is not brined, cured, boiled, or smoked...
and a slice of cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
. The Egg McMuffin was served as an open faced sandwich on a buttered and toasted English muffin
English muffin
A muffin or English muffin is a small, round, flat type of yeast-leavened bread almost always dusted with cornmeal, which is commonly served split horizontally, toasted, and buttered. Muffins are eaten either as a snack alone or as part of a meal.- History :An old English nursery rhyme, "The...
.
The Egg McMuffin was first sold at a McDonald's in Goleta, California
Goleta, California
Goleta is a city in southern Santa Barbara County, California, USA. It was incorporated as a city in 2002, after a long period as the largest unincorporated, populated area in the county. As of the 2000 census, the Census-designated place had a total population of 55,204, however, a significant...
(near Santa Barbara), which Peterson co-owned with his son, David Peterson.
Peterson died in Santa Barbara on March 25, 2008, at the age of 89. He was survived by his wife, son and three daughters. A memorial service
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
for Peterson was held on April 23, 2008, in Montecito, California
Montecito, California
Montecito is an unincorporated community in Santa Barbara County, California. As a census-designated place, it had a population of 8,965 in 2010. This does not include areas such as Coast Village Road, that, while usually considered part of Montecito, are actually within the city limits of Santa...
.