The Story Behind McDonald's You Deserve A Break Today Commercial

[@BrooklynAvenue]

Well done. This captured a period in time that is now gone: when the growing middle class in America started to feel its power. My father grew up in a single parent home in Lowell MA, but within 10 years of leaving the army (served in France) he was back in the US, had a good job, two cars and was on his way to buying his first house. Going to McDonalds on Friday night (pay day) was a thrill and for my father a way to experience his growing success in being able to take care of a family. We all somehow knew it. It was an entirely positive enterprise.

[@Billybathgate2468]

Yes, your story is similar to a great many people who grew up in this era!

[@thehistoryoftelevisioncomm4605]

Thanks for your comments Brooklyn. Your story is similar to mine as well as a bunch of others.

[@natethefighter]

The fella who does the role of the manager has some real pipes.

[@michaelbarlow6610]

That's the actor who played the role of Mr. Feltzer, the opera singer in Felix Unger's Lexington Avenue Opera Club on ABC-TV's classic comedy show "The Odd Couple"!

[@tuttt99]

@@michaelbarlow6610 he also had a brief but memorable role as Tellarite ambassador Gav in the classic Star Trek episode "Journey to Babel" kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5qxq42Fn5epmtk

[@michaelbarlow6610]

@@tuttt99 . Thanks for that information. I wasn't aware that the actor who played Mr. Feltzer on "The Odd Couple"(1970-1975) played the role of Gav in the Star Trek episode, "Journey To Babel" He did a superb job of altering his natural voice to play that role in that episode.

[@bobbard6008]

I too remember fondly this commercial. The tune is infectiously catchy, and when I see it, I am transported back to my childhood...just like the fellow who narrates this very informative and enjoyable KZbin clip. My Mom would take me out to the McDonald on Friday nights where we would share dinner sitting in her car. The McDonald's was located next door to a car wash, and that was our entertainment for the evening, too. Thanks so much for creating and sharing it was us all. 😎

[@naturalpro2003]

A very nice profile of an iconic commercial.

[@valeriegoulet6612]

That was really moving thank you for sharing . 🤗

[@thehistoryoftelevisioncomm4605]

Thank you for watching the video, Valerie!

[@alexrush918]

Thanks for doing this video, you helped me do a school assignment.

[@itiswhatitaintanditaintwha1427]

This commercial even has Robert "The Colonel" Ridgely in it! And of course John Amos! And Potsie? Wow! I had no idea.

[@thomaslynch8906]

Also the Father in wonder years was in the commercial

[@thehistoryoftelevisioncomm4605]

Thomas, thanks for watching our video! One of the workers in the commercials looks like the father from wonder years, but I don't think that's him.

[@TnseWlms]

In 1981 in Seattle, someone threw a brick into a McDonald's window with the message "You deserve a break today!"

[@norton2]

Well, throwing bricks at windows is quite normal in Seattle.

[@crystalclearconcepts]

Didn’t Barry Manilow have something to do with this?

[@brentmann2988]

Barry Manilow sang on certain versions of this jingle. He was not, however, involved in the writing of either the words or music of the jingle. You will often see the jingle credited to Kevin P. Gavin, Albert W. Ham, Nathan Kipner and Sidney E. Woloshin.

[@BangersTheBraeds]

Australia had its own version 🇦🇺

[@stacycoutu3668]

Isn’t that Dom Delouise that played the manager in the commercial?

[@thehistoryoftelevisioncomm4605]

Hi Stacy, thanks so much for watching our video. I hope you enjoyed it. Although the store manager does look like Dom Delouise, it's actually an actor by the name of John Wheeler. Who knows, maybe they are related, LOL!

[@CanadianBrewingChannel]

The first McDonald's in Canada was not in Vancouver. It was in London Ontario. Most large Franchise's use London because of its demographics. McDonalds Canada always uses London for testing new products before releasing across Canada.

[@shanley850]

What about the other actor you didn’t mention. I don’t know his name but he’s been in tons of things on tv. It’s going to drive me crazy.

[@thehistoryoftelevisioncomm4605]

Oh, which one? Also, thanks for watching our video - and don't let it drive you crazy! :-)

[@robertrouse4503]

How could you not add the guy who wrote the song, Barry Manilow.

[@Billybathgate2468]

Barry Manilow sang a version of the song in other commercials, but he never wrote the song. Sidney Woloshin, as stated in the video, actually came up with and wrote the song - but many people thought Manilow did 😀

[@riinak7212]

It's Woh-LOH-shin

[@thehistoryoftelevisioncomm4605]

Thanks for the clarification riina!

[@riinak7212]

@@thehistoryoftelevisioncomm4605 You're welcome :) I try to help - sorry if it comes off as over-critical. If I care enough to leave a comment, it means I enjoyed watching the video enough to watch it all the way through, leave a like and actually let someone know the correct pronunciation lol! :) So good job on the video :)

[@VincentBallou-cq4tr]

They are lying. But Croc was selfish and so is the announcer so what's the surprise? Barry Manilow wrote the jingle.

[@thehistoryoftelevisioncomm4605]

Hi Vince, thanks for your comment. Barry Manilow did not write the jingle. He simply sang a version of it in various versions of the commercial. There are various sources that prove this to be the case, one of which I included in the video. Thanks for your comments and thanks for watching! :-)

[@msnyder6200]

Lol. If they ever go to $15 minimum wage, locations on every other corner will disappear.

[@valeriegoulet6612]

This is not about the cash right now,😕, this about the memories , because at the end of the day this is not about paper it's about food with personality....😀

[@angelfigueroa5025]

Fast food’s popularity Has continued to dwindle overall.

[@RudieObias]

Minimum wage could be a $1 and companies (and bootlickers like you) would complain it’s too high 🙄