What was McDonald's advertising slogan introduced in 1971 and famous for the line about deserving a break?

McDonald's introduced the advertising slogan “You Deserve a Break Today” in 1971. The line presented a McDonald's visit as a welcome pause from work, routine, or daily responsibilities.

The campaign became one of the company's best-known slogans and helped establish a warm, emotionally persuasive style of fast-food advertising. Rather than focusing only on speed or price, it framed the restaurant as a small personal reward.

The slogan is often confused with other McDonald's taglines, including “You Can't Beat the Feeling,” used later, and “I'm Lovin' It,” introduced in the 2000s. McDonald's has used many slogans in different markets and periods, so a phrase's language and dates matter when identifying a campaign.

The 1971 date refers to the introduction of this specific slogan, not to the founding of McDonald's or the launch of the Golden Arches. Those milestones belong to earlier stages of the company's history.