Which McDonald's slogan debuted in a 1971 advertising campaign and promised customers a break?

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

The line connected McDonald's with convenience, relaxation, and a short escape from everyday routines. It was created for McDonald's by the advertising agency Needham Harper Steers and became one of the company's most recognizable slogans of the 1970s.

The slogan is sometimes confused with “You, You're the One,” another McDonald's advertising line from the same broad era. It is also different from “I'm Lovin' It,” which became the company's global slogan in 2003. McDonald's has repeatedly changed its advertising language while retaining the Golden Arches as its central visual identity.

The 1971 campaign is important in branding history because it sold the restaurant experience, not just a particular hamburger. The promise of a break helped position McDonald's as an accessible part of daily life.