What was the name of McDonald's slogan introduced in 1971 and associated with a break from daily routine?

“You Deserve a Break Today” was the McDonald's slogan introduced in 1971.

The slogan framed a McDonald's visit as a deserved pause in a busy day. Its wording connected the restaurant with relief, convenience, and a small personal reward, themes that fit the expanding fast-food market of the early 1970s.

The campaign became especially memorable through its music and repeated phrase structure. It is often cited among the most recognizable advertising lines in American commercial history and helped establish McDonald's as a lifestyle brand, not merely a place selling hamburgers.

Later slogans used different emotional approaches. “I'm Lovin' It,” introduced in 2003, focused on personal enjoyment, while “We Love to See You Smile” was used in a later period. These lines should not be confused with the 1971 slogan.