Herb Peterson

Herb Petersen
Born
Herbert Ralph Petersen

(1919-01-05)January 5, 1919
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedMarch 25, 2008(2008-03-25) (aged 89)
Santa Barbara, California, U.S.
OccupationsBusinessman, Entrepreneur, early McDonald's restaurant franchisee
Known forCreated the Egg McMuffin sandwich (1971)
Spouse(s)Barbara (?-2008), his death
Children3 daughters, and 1 son

Herbert Ralph Peterson (January 5, 1919 – March 25, 2008) was an American fast food advertising executive best known for inventing the McDonald's Egg McMuffin in 1972.[1][2] The sandwich pushed McDonald's to expand into breakfast, which by 1993 accounted for an estimated 20–25% of the company's revenue.[3]

Early life

Herb Petersen was born and raised in Chicago. He served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, where he attained the rank of major in three years.[1]

Career

Herb Petersen began his advertising career with McDonald's as vice president at D'Arcy Advertising in Chicago, which became McDonald's ad arm.[1]

Peterson coined McDonald's first national advertising slogan, "Where Quality Starts Fresh Every Day."[1][4]

He later became a franchise co-owner and the operator of six McDonald's restaurants in and around Santa Barbara, California.[5]

Peterson developed the Egg McMuffin, which has become a McDonald's breakfast signature item, in 1972. Peterson was said to be fond of eggs benedict, so he worked to develop a breakfast item which was similar to it for the fast food chain. Peterson eventually came up with an egg sandwich consisting of an egg formed in a Teflon ring with its yolk broken, topped with grilled Canadian bacon and a slice of American cheese. The Egg McMuffin was served as an open faced sandwich on a buttered and toasted English muffin.[1]

The Egg McMuffin was created and first sold at a McDonald's in Goleta, California, at a Fairview Avenue location [6] which Peterson co-owned with his son, David.[1]

Death

Peterson died in Santa Barbara on March 25, 2008, at the age of 89.[1][5][7] He was survived by his wife Barbara, son David and three daughters. A memorial service was held on April 23, 2008, in Montecito, California.[1] Peterson is the grandfather of professional surfer Lakey Peterson.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Egg McMuffin inventor Herb Peterson dies in California at 89". International Herald Tribune. Associated Press. March 27, 2008. Archived from the original on April 9, 2008. Retrieved March 27, 2008.
  2. ↑ Date of birth, and that born in U.S.A., from Genealogue Challenge #123
  3. ↑ Steve Weiss (June 1993). "The scoop on the egg McMuffin". Restaurants & Institutions. Archived from the original on August 21, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  4. ↑ McDonald's Innovator Dies at 89: Herb Peterson Created Egg McMuffin and Ronald McDonald, By Emily Bryson York. Published on March 27, 2008, for Ad Age.com, accessed 8/15/2014.
  5. 1 2 Denise Petski (March 27, 2008). "Egg McMuffin inventor dies at 89". Pantagraph.com. Associated Press. Retrieved August 21, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  6. ↑ Greg Lucas (December 27, 2019). "Breakfast-To-Go On a Toasted Bun". CA170. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Egg McMuffin inventor dies at 89". Los Angeles Daily News. March 26, 2008. Archived from the original on April 20, 2008. Retrieved March 27, 2008.
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