Who created the McDonald's slogan “You Deserve a Break Today”?

Advertising executive Keith Reinhard created McDonald's slogan “You Deserve a Break Today.”

The slogan was introduced in 1971 and became one of the most memorable lines in McDonald's advertising history. It framed a visit to the restaurant as a small reward or pause in a busy day, broadening the brand's appeal beyond a simple claim about speed or price.

Reinhard worked at Needham Harper Steers, the advertising agency that handled McDonald's account during this period. The campaign's wording was designed to be easy to remember and adaptable to music, television, radio, and print advertising.

The line is sometimes confused with later McDonald's slogans such as “We Love to See You Smile.” It also differs from Burger King's “Have It Your Way,” which belonged to a competing brand. “You Deserve a Break Today” is specifically associated with McDonald's early-1970s advertising.