What was McDonald's advertising slogan introduced in 1971 and remembered for its “break” wording?

“You Deserve a Break Today” was McDonald's advertising slogan introduced in 1971. The line appeared in a campaign created by Needham Harper Steers and became one of the most recognizable slogans in American advertising.

Its commercials linked a visit to McDonald's with taking a pleasant pause from daily routines. The wording helped position the restaurant as an accessible treat rather than simply a place to buy inexpensive food.

People sometimes confuse it with Burger King's “Have It Your Way” or the later McDonald's slogan “I'm lovin' it.” McDonald's retired the line after years of use, but advertising rankings and retrospective histories continue to cite it as a landmark campaign.