Who created the Egg McMuffin, introduced by McDonald’s in 1972?

Herb Peterson created the Egg McMuffin, introduced by McDonald’s in 1972.

Peterson was a McDonald’s franchisee in Santa Barbara, California, and developed the breakfast sandwich with his partner, franchisee operator Paul Stauffer. The product placed a freshly cooked egg, Canadian bacon, and melted cheese inside a toasted English muffin. Its format gave McDonald’s a portable breakfast item with a distinctive name and identity.

The sandwich helped establish McDonald’s breakfast business. Before the Egg McMuffin, the chain was primarily associated with hamburgers, fries, and lunch or dinner service. The breakfast menu broadened the hours in which the brand could attract customers.

People sometimes confuse Peterson with the later corporate team that expanded breakfast nationally. Peterson created the original sandwich, while McDonald’s operations and marketing departments helped standardize and promote it across the chain.