Egg McMuffin inventor dies

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Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:40 am

Oh gosh this ages me. I remember when the egg McMuffin first came out I was in college and we did a 70 mile one way road trip to get one. Of course we had been drinking the night before and had to wait 2 hours for McDonald's to open up before we could get one. Then on the trip back there was a rain storm and my girlfriend told me to turn to FM on the radio so we wouldn't get any static. I couldn't because I only had AM on the radio. FM was new to that part of the USA also. Laughing

Quote:

Egg McMuffin inventor dies at 89

By DENISE PETSKI, Associated Press Writer

Herb Peterson, who invented the ubiquitous Egg McMuffin as a way to introduce breakfast to McDonald's restaurants, has died, a Southern California McDonald's official said Wednesday. He was 89.

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

He began his career with McDonald's Corp. 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."

Peterson eventually became a franchisee and was currently co-owner and operator of six McDonald's restaurants in Santa Barbara and Goleta, Fraker said.

Peterson came up with idea for the signature McDonald's breakfast item in 1972. He "was very partial to eggs Benedict," Fraker said, and worked on creating something similar.

The egg sandwich consisted of an egg that had been formed in a Teflon circle with the yolk broken, topped with a slice of cheese and grilled Canadian bacon. It was served open-faced on a toasted and buttered English muffin.

The Egg McMuffin made its debut at a restaurant in Santa Barbara that Peterson co-owned with his son, David Peterson.

Fraker said that, although semiretired, Peterson still visited all six of his stores in the Santa Barbara area until last year when his health began to deteriorate.

"He would talk to the customers, visit with the employees. He loved McDonald's," Fraker said.

Fraker, who said he worked with Peterson for 30 years, said "he was amazing as far as giving back to the community."

"He embraced the community and the community embraced him," Fraker said. "We loved the man."

Peterson is survived by his wife, son and three daughters.

A public memorial service will be held April 23 at All Saints by the Sea church in Montecito.

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:46 am

nooooooo, not the mcmuffin guy! egg mcmuffins will never be the same... Crying or Very sad

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:32 am

Im flying a hash brown at half mast in rememberance of him Crying or Very sad

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 3193

Just sometimes the yawning culture gap between the USA and the UK becomes starkly apparent.

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 1:23 pm

Im very well cultured... it just i like the simple things in life too. I love the theatre but I also love sitcoms on the "tellie" I love fine dining ( I use to be a chef at one the the best restaurants in Milwaukee) But theres nothing better that going to a rib shack and having a rack.

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:49 pm

Did he die of a massive heart attack?

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 3193

Sorry, I didn't mean to say you were uncultured, rather that our cultures are different. The idea of even knowing who invented the egg McMuffin seems totally alien to me. I'm reasonably confident that we do not know who invented Chicken Tika Massala or Balti, or the first manic to fry a Mars Bar.

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:47 pm

Ever try a deep fried twinkie? AWSOME

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:46 pm

thud419 wrote:

Sorry, I didn't mean to say you were uncultured, rather that our cultures are different. The idea of even knowing who invented the egg McMuffin seems totally alien to me. I'm reasonably confident that we do not know who invented Chicken Tika Massala or Balti, or the first manic to fry a Mars Bar.

Quote:

The first report of battered Mars bars being up for sale appeared in the Scottish Daily Record in August 1995.

I had to research this for a library patron once before. We were not able to find who invented frying a Mars Bar but do know about the above date. At the Texas State Fair in Dallas it is a yearly contest to see what new thing they can fry. Nachos first debuted at this state fair. American's love to keep track of "firsts" that is why it is a big cultural thing when the person involved dies. It's like we all remember what we were doing when we first tried the item. Silly I know but that's the way we are. Laughing

Guest

Sad, but i don't even eat that mc muffin stuff, i like corn dogs best, mc muffin sounds like a real bad mceeing name though Cool

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:40 pm

Chibuike wrote:

It's like we all remember what we were doing when we first tried the item. Silly I know but that's the way we are. Laughing

For me it was on a road trip right after finals to see a parent of my college sweetheart. In Herb's honor I just ate a Kirkland frozen knockoff. Its called a Premium English Muffin Sandwich. Not quite the same.

Guest

I got your deepfied corndog hanging/

Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 2:10 am

I was in 1st grade when the Big Mac came out. Anyone remember when they had the anniversary sale and sold hamburgers for a nickel? We loaded up and froze them. I didn't realize how poor we were 'till I got out of high school.
Now I have an inheritance, I just need to get it out of several scary countries.

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