Herb Peterson

Not to be confused with Herb Pedersen.

Herbert Ralph Peterson (January 5, 1919 – March 25, 2008) was an American fast food advertising executive and most known for being the inventor of the McDonald's Egg McMuffin in 1972.^[1][2] The breakfast business that he pioneered with this item had grown to an estimated $4–5 billion in annual revenues for the fast food restaurant chain McDonald's by 1993.^[3]

Herb Petersen
Born	Herbert Ralph Petersen (1919-01-05)January 5, 1919 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	March 25, 2008(2008-03-25) (aged 89) Santa Barbara, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Businessman, Entrepreneur, early McDonald's restaurant franchisee
Known for	Created the Egg McMuffin sandwich (1971)
Spouse(s)	Barbara (?-2008), his death
Children	3 daughters, and 1 son

Life and career

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. He 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 like eggs benedict, so he worked to develop a breakfast item which was similar to it for the fast food chain.^[1] 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.^[1] 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]

Peterson was well-liked in his community. Even in semi-retirement he still visited all six of his stores in the Santa Barbara until a year before his death in 2008.

"He would talk to the customers, visit with the employees. He loved McDonald's," said Monte Fraker, vice president for McDonalds franchises in Santa Barbara, who worked with Peterson for 30 years. "He was amazing as far as giving back to the community. He embraced the community and the community embraced him. We loved the man."^[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, son and three daughters.^[1] A memorial service was held on April 23, 2008, in Montecito, California.^[1] Peterson is the grandfather of professional surfer Lakey Peterson.