McDonald's Egg McMuffins Used To Come With These Sweet Condiments
McDonald's Egg McMuffin has long been a favorite of customers all over the world. But what even long-time fans of the fast food chain may not know about the history of the Egg McMuffin is that it wasn't always exactly what it is today. When Herb Peterson, who owned locations in Santa Barbara, California, began developing the Egg McMuffin in 1971, he took inspiration from a classic eggs Benedict recipe. However, after realizing that packaged Hollandaise sauce wasn't ideal, Peterson replaced it with a slice of cheese and topped the sandwich with Canadian bacon.
By 1972, the Egg McMuffin had made its debut on menus as a 63-cent open-faced sandwich, served alongside two sweet condiments: honey and jam. But, just three years later, as the Egg McMuffin was changed to a closed-faced sandwich, those condiments disappeared from the sidelines. "We needed a unique product that could be held in the hand, just like our hamburgers, and eaten conveniently, even in a car," Peterson explained during a 1987 interview with KEYT News.
The honey and jam offered a sweet contrast to the Egg McMuffin. But, when it came to convenience, the mess outweighed the reward — at least in McDonald's mind anyway.
Could grape jam be added to McDonald's Egg McMuffins in the future?
While decades have passed since customers were treated to a McDonald's Egg McMuffin with honey or jam, a 2022 video shared to McDonald's Corporate's TikTok page hinted that a reincarnation was possible. In the clip, Chef Mike Lingo tried an Egg McMuffin topped with grape jelly. And, although he was admittedly "kinda scared" at first, Chef Lingo was ultimately a fan. "Surprisingly, it's delicious, a little salty, a little sweet. We might be onto something here. This might be going on the menu. We'll see," he teased.
The grape jam-topped Egg McMuffin has yet to be added to McDonald's official menu at the time of writing. But that doesn't mean you, too, can't try it. Simply request a pack of grape jam next time you order an Egg McMuffin and top it off to your heart's desire. In fact, you could even create a true throwback by eating the menu item as an open-faced sandwich, topped with honey or grape jam. Or, if you really want a sweet upgrade, both.