Which CEO of McDonald's launched all-day breakfast in 2015?

Which CEO of McDonald’s launched all-day breakfast in 2015? Steve Easterbrook did. The U.S. rollout began nationwide on October 6, 2015, during Easterbrook’s first year as McDonald’s president and CEO.

The idea responded to a long-running customer demand: people wanted Egg McMuffins, hash browns, and other breakfast favorites after the traditional 10:30 a.m. cutoff. McDonald’s tested the concept in selected markets before franchisees approved a nationwide U.S. launch. The initial menu was deliberately limited because breakfast and regular menu items competed for kitchen equipment and preparation space.

The change became a major part of Easterbrook’s attempted turnaround of McDonald’s, which had been dealing with weak sales and changing consumer habits. It helped lift U.S. sales and became one of the most recognizable decisions of his tenure.

A common mix-up is crediting Ray Kroc, who built McDonald’s into a global giant but died in 1984, or Don Thompson, who preceded Easterbrook as CEO. The Egg McMuffin itself dates to the 1970s; Easterbrook’s achievement was expanding breakfast beyond morning hours.