Who created McDonald's Egg McMuffin breakfast sandwich?

Herb Peterson created McDonald's Egg McMuffin breakfast sandwich in 1971.

Peterson was a McDonald's franchisee in Santa Barbara, California, and developed the sandwich as a portable breakfast based on eggs, Canadian bacon, and an English muffin. His restaurants tested the item before McDonald's expanded it more widely. The sandwich helped establish breakfast as a major part of the fast-food daypart.

The Egg McMuffin is often linked to McDonald's corporate founder Ray Kroc because Kroc supported the product and helped bring it into the wider system. However, Peterson is credited with creating the sandwich itself. Jim Delligatti is associated with the Big Mac, making his name a common mix-up in franchise-history quizzes.

The sandwich's basic format has remained recognizable for decades, although menus and preparation details can differ between countries. Its success encouraged competitors to build permanent breakfast menus rather than treating morning food as a small side offering.