McDonald’s Celebrates 50 Years of Breakfast with $1 McMuffin Deal

On March 2, 2025, you can get Egg McMuffins and Sausage McMuffins with Egg for just a buck through the McDonald's app, celebrating fifty years since these breakfast favorites first appeared in stores across the country.

During March, the fast-food giant will offer special deals. From March 3-30, customers ordering through McDelivery can score a free Sausage McMuffin with Egg when they purchase one.

"At McDonald's, breakfast isn't just a meal; it's a cherished tradition and cornerstone of our brand," said Joe Erlinger to McDonald's Corporate.

You'll need to join the rewards program to get these deals. The chain has also brought back bagel sandwiches nationwide and started selling Krispy Kreme doughnuts at their New York City locations.

The breakfast sandwich's journey started in Santa Barbara in 1972. Franchise owner Herb Peterson created the first one. His son David remembered: "When I watched my father introduce this idea to Ray Kroc, we could not have anticipated it would become the foundation for the renowned McDonald's breakfast menu."

The original McMuffin went for just 63 cents. It started out as an open-faced sandwich topped with sweet stuff like honey or jam. After testing well, it rolled out nationwide in 1975.

McDonald's unveiled its complete breakfast menu in 1977. Early morning customers could choose from hotcakes, English muffins, scrambled eggs, sausage, hash browns, and danish pastries.

The breakfast move turned out to be huge. By 1987, McDonald's was serving up one in four restaurant breakfasts across America.

They kept growing the menu over time. The McGriddle arrived in 2003, and health-conscious folks got their egg white McMuffin option in 2013.

More McDonald's locations will add Krispy Kreme doughnuts through 2026, bringing a sweet addition to the morning lineup that began with one simple sandwich fifty years ago.