Long Before The Hits, Barry Manilow Wrote Famous Jingles For Two Rival Fast Food Chains

Way before "Mandy" climbed the charts and "Copacabana" became karaoke canon, Barry Manilow was paying his rent writing commercial jingles for fast food. In the late '60s and early '70s, writing songs to sell burgers may have been considered selling out, but it was a reliable entry point for composers trying to break into the music industry. Jingles pay well, demand airtight hooks and require songwriters to skillfully compress melody and emotion into 30 seconds or less. They're commercial, but they're also an interesting artistic constraint — and Manilow was particularly good at them.

One of his most enduring early credits is McDonald's "You Deserve a Break Today" ad campaign — posted by Bionic Disco via YouTube — which quickly became one of the most recognizable fast food jingles of its era. Even today, it can still get stuck in your head after one listen. The gently soaring tune felt reassuring and upbeat, a melodic invitation that positioned the brand as wholesome and approachable, an affordable indulgence. The commercials circulated widely and can still be found online today.

During this era, Manilow was a hired pen, writing jingles for a handful of other well-known advertising campaigns, from insurance to Band-Aids. Interestingly, he also wrote for a major McDonald's competitor: Kentucky Fried Chicken. That "finger lickin' day" jingle — shared by Retrontario via YouTube — penned around the same time as McDonald's "break" campaign. That's right, the same songwriter helped shape the defining sound of the era for two rival fast food chains, both competing for dominance in the American quick-service landscape. Similarly, he wrote songs for both Dr. Pepper and Pepsi.

For Manilow, jingle writing was a musical boot camp. Commercial work demands immediate memorability, and there isn't room for sprawling intros or subtle progressive build. The impression must land instantly and distinctively, conveying the message with succinct appeal — and then make it stick. Manilow learned how to pull our attention and our heartstrings, and the discipline he honed writing tunes that lodge indelibly in the brain would later define his pop career. Say what you will about Manilow; he was an absolute crackerjack at composing earworms. Try listening to "Copacabana" once and not getting it stuck in your head for a week.

By the mid-1970s, Manilow transitioned professionally from advertising composer to full-fledged recording artist. Many of his hits showcased his flair for sweeping, sentimental melody, while others demonstrated an instinct for theatrical storytelling. The through line between burger jingles like this Big Mac ad and arena ballads is clearer than it might seem. Listening to the jingles now, you can feel the artistry and soul, even ensconced within a nostalgic commercial ploy to tempt you into buying McDonald's burgers and KFC's delicious fried chicken.

In the grand trajectory of Manilow's career, the fast food jingles can be seen as less of an embarrassing but necessary detour. They're the early works of a musician who understood something deeply fundamental about pop music: a great hook works anywhere, even (or maybe especially) when it's been deep fried and dipped in ketchup.