Egg McMuffin Creator Dies At Age 89

A Southern California McDonald's official said Egg McMuffin inventor Herb Peterson has died in Santa Barbara at age 89.

Monte Fraker, vice president of operations for McDonald's restaurants in Santa Barbara, said Peterson died peacefully at his home Tuesday.

Peterson came up with idea for the signature McDonald's breakfast item in 1972.

He began his career with McDonald's as vice president of the company's advertising firm, D'Arcy Advertising, in Chicago.

He wrote McDonald's first national advertising slogan, "Where Quality Starts Fresh Every Day," and eventually became a franchisee.

Reading the Wikipedia entry for the McMuffin shows that McDonalds didn't have much interest in the idea.  Back then, McDonalds only served lunch and dinner.  The article makes note that Mr. Peterson was actually reprimanded him for serving breakfast and threatened him with a number of penalties for going against his franchise agreement.

I'm sure a lot of folks are happy that they decided not to.  I know I am.