Which slogan appeared in McDonald's advertising beginning in 1971 and invited customers to take a break?

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

The line framed a McDonald's visit as a welcome pause in a busy day. It moved the brand's message beyond food and speed by presenting the restaurant as a convenient emotional break for customers and families.

The slogan became one of McDonald's most remembered advertising lines and was supported by widely broadcast television commercials and music. Its wording also helped distinguish McDonald's from competitors whose advertising often focused more directly on menu items or service claims.

It is sometimes confused with “I'm lovin' it,” which McDonald's adopted globally in 2003. The two slogans belong to different eras: “You Deserve a Break Today” is associated with the early 1970s, while “I'm lovin' it” became the company's major worldwide campaign decades later.