Which McDonald's slogan began with the words “You deserve a break today”?

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

The line was created for a major advertising campaign that presented McDonald's as a convenient, cheerful pause in a busy day. Its wording connected the restaurant with rest and personal reward rather than focusing only on the hamburger. The campaign became one of the best-known examples of McDonald's emotional, lifestyle-oriented advertising.

The slogan is frequently remembered as “You deserve a break,” but the full line included “today.” That distinction matters because McDonald's used several later slogans involving the word “break,” including “Have you had your break today?” in the 1990s. Those are related but separate campaigns.

McDonald's slogans changed by market and by period, so an English-language slogan may not have been used everywhere at the same time. “You Deserve a Break Today” nevertheless became an important American campaign line and helped establish the brand's association with a quick, enjoyable escape from routine.