Big Mac
{{short description|Hamburger sold by McDonald's}}
{{Other uses}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Nutritional value
| name = Big Mac
| image = McD Big Mac.png
| serving_size = 1 sandwich {{convert|7.6|oz|g|abbr=on}}
| kcal = 580
| opt2n = Energy from fat
| opt2v = {{convert|306|kcal|kJ|abbr=on}}
| fat = 34 g (43%)
| satfat = 11 g (56%)
| transfat = 1 g
| opt3n = Cholesterol
| opt3v = 85 mg (28%)
| sodium_mg = 1060
| opt1n = Salt equivalent
| opt1v = 2,650 mg
| carbs = 45 g (16%)
| fiber = 3 g (10%)
| sugars = 7 g
| protein = 25 g
| calcium_mg = 120
| potassium_mg = 370
| iron_mg = 4
| source = [http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/food/product_nutrition.sandwiches.255.Big-Mac.html McDonald's US Product Nutrition]
| note = Values may be different outside US market.
}}
The Big Mac is a brand of hamburger sold by the international fast food restaurant chain McDonald's. It was introduced by a Greater Pittsburgh area franchisee in 1967 and expanded nationwide in 1968, and is widely regarded as the company's flagship product.
The hamburger features a three-slice sesame-seed bun containing two beef patties, one slice of cheese, shredded lettuce, pickles, minced onions, and a thousand island-type dressing advertised as "special sauce". Seasonal and regional variants have been offered, including chicken versions.
The Big Mac is known worldwide and often used as a symbol of American capitalism and decadence. The Economist has used it as a reference point for comparing the cost of living in different countries – the Big Mac Index – as it is so widely available and is comparable across markets.{{cite web |last=Pakko |first=Michael R. |author2=Pollard, Patricia S. |date=November–December 2003 |title=Burgernomics: A "Big Mac" Guide to Purchasing Power Parity |url=http://research.stlouisfed.org/publications/review/03/11/pakko.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524015220/http://research.stlouisfed.org/publications/review/03/11/pakko.pdf |archive-date=May 24, 2011 |access-date=May 18, 2011 |website=Review |publisher=Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis}}
History
The Big Mac was created by Jim Delligatti,{{cite book | last=Eldridge | first=D. | title=Moon Pittsburgh | publisher=Avalon Publishing | series=Moon Handbooks | year=2014 | isbn=978-1-61238-846-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ThbPBQAAQBAJ&pg=PT389 | access-date=November 7, 2017 | page=pt389}} who stated later he did not invent the Big Mac but merely copied the double deck hamburger marketed by the Big Boy hamburger chain since the 1940s.{{Cite news |last=Grimes |first=William |date=2016-12-01 |title=Michael James Delligatti, Creator of the Big Mac, Dies at 98 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/30/business/michael-james-delligatti-creator-of-the-big-mac-dies-at-98.html |access-date=2024-02-21 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} Mr. Delligatti operated several McDonald's restaurants in the Pittsburgh area. It was created in the kitchen of Delligatti's first McDonald's franchise, located on McKnight Road in suburban Ross Township.{{cite news | url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19930504&id=z6kkAAAAIBAJ&pg=5788,2805664 | title= Golden Arch Angel | work= Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | first= Barbara | last= Vancheri | date= May 4, 1993 | page= C1 | access-date= October 7, 2016 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160502024800/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19930504&id=z6kkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0G4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5788,2805664 | archive-date= May 2, 2016 | url-status= live }}
The Big Mac debuted at the McDonald's owned by Delligatti in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, on April 22, 1967,{{cite news|title=New! Big Mac [Advertisement]|work=The Uniontown Evening Standard|date=April 21, 1967|page=11|accessdate=April 22, 2022|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/27959874/}} selling for {{US$|0.45|1967}}.{{cite press release|title= Jim Delligatti Biography|url= http://www.mcdepk.com/bigmac/mediadocs/bio_Jim_MJ_Delligatti.pdf|publisher= McDonald's|year= 2007|access-date= May 18, 2011|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110726163742/http://www.mcdepk.com/bigmac/mediadocs/bio_Jim_MJ_Delligatti.pdf|archive-date= July 26, 2011 }}
It was designed to compete with Big Boy Restaurants' Big Boy hamburger. Eat'n Park was the Pittsburgh area's Big Boy franchisee at the time.{{cite news |title=Obituary: William D. Peters / President of Eat'n Park restaurants |url=http://old.post-gazette.com/obituaries/20000820peters4.asp |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=August 20, 2000 |access-date=September 28, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213042837/http://old.post-gazette.com/obituaries/20000820peters4.asp |archive-date=December 13, 2013 |url-status=live }} The Big Mac proved popular and it was added to the menu of all U.S. McDonald's restaurants in 1968.
The Big Mac had two previous names, both of which failed in the marketplace: the Aristocrat and the Blue Ribbon Burger. The third name, Big Mac, was created by Esther Glickstein Rose, a 21-year-old advertising secretary who worked at McDonald's corporate headquarters in Oak Brook, Illinois.{{cite news | url=https://apnews.com/4338738fbc4ed82ddfcd5700c17d6ebd | title=Woman Who Named Big Mac Finally Recognized | work=Associated Press | date=May 31, 1985 | access-date=February 22, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130613212414/http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1985/Woman-Who-Named-Big-Mac-Finally-Recognized/id-4338738fbc4ed82ddfcd5700c17d6ebd | archive-date=June 13, 2013 | url-status=live }}
Product
The Big Mac is made with two {{convert|1.6|oz|g|abbr=on|adj=on}} beef patties, a "special sauce" (similar to Thousand Island dressing),{{cite web |url=http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2010/07/seriouseats.com/the-burger-lab-building-a-better-big-mac.html |title=The Burger Lab: Building A Better Big Mac |website=Serious Eats |date=August 9, 2018 |first=J. Kenji |last=López-Alt |author-link=J. Kenji López-Alt |access-date=October 3, 2022 }} shredded iceberg lettuce, one processed American cheese slice, two slices of dill pickle, and minced onions, served on a three slice sesame seed bun.{{Cite web|url=http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/getnutrition/ingredientslist.pdf |title=McDonald's Nutrition Calculator: Calories and More | McDonald's |access-date=July 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160708040813/http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/getnutrition/ingredientslist.pdf |archive-date=July 8, 2016 |url-status=live }} On October 1, 2018, McDonald's announced that it would remove all artificial preservatives, flavors, and coloring from the Big Mac.{{Cite web |last=Valinsky |first=Jordan |date=September 27, 2018 |title=McDonald's removing artificial additives from its burgers |url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/09/27/news/companies/mcdonalds-artificial-ingredients/index.html |access-date=September 10, 2022 |website=money.cnn.com}}{{cite web |title=Artificial Ingredients Have Been Removed From McDonald's Classic Burgers |url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/559089/mcdonalds-classic-burgers-are-now-made-100-percent-pure-beef-and-no-artificial-ingredients |website=Mentalfloss.com |access-date=October 25, 2018 |language=en |date=October 1, 2018}}
=Sauce<span class="anchor" id="sauce"></span>=
In the past, Big Mac Sauce was delivered to McDonald's restaurants in sealed canisters designed by Sealright, from which it was directly dispensed using a calibrated "sauce gun" that would dispense a specified amount of the sauce for each pull of the trigger.{{cite web | url=http://www.mcspotlight.org/media/press/kansas_26apr96.html | title=Sealright designs sauce system for McDonald's in South Africa, China |website=Kansas City Business Journal | access-date=May 18, 2011|date= April 26, 1996| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110604182839/http://www.mcspotlight.org/media/press/kansas_26apr96.html| archive-date= June 4, 2011 | url-status= live}} In 2023, McDonald's introduced a new "next gen" sauce dispenser that uses soft bags of sauce and a plunger to compress the bag with a ratchet system. The new sauce dispenser is also used for McChicken Sauce and Tartare Sauce.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x97Y91MqOig |title=Franke Next Gen Sauce Dispenser Loading Tips |date=2022-06-22 |last=Franke Supply |access-date=2025-05-29 |via=YouTube}}{{Cite web |last=InternetNumerous |date=2021-05-11 |title=Can somebody help me figure out how to change these sauce dispensers, every time I do they jam on me |url=http://www.reddit.com/r/McDonaldsEmployees/comments/n9qk6v/can_somebody_help_me_figure_out_how_to_change/ |access-date=2025-05-29 |website=r/McDonaldsEmployees}}
In 2012 McDonald's executive chef Dan Coudreaut released a YouTube video revealing the recipe of the sauce. It consists of store-bought mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish and yellow mustard whisked together with vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika.{{cite news |title=McDonald's Big Mac sauce revealed |url=https://www.upi.com/Business_News/2012/07/12/McDonalds-Big-Mac-sauce-revealed/28181342114149/ |access-date=4 August 2020 |publisher=UPI |date=12 July 2012}}{{Cite web |date=July 12, 2012 |title=Big Mac Sauce Secret Ingredients REVEALED! (2012) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ733V4FnhU |access-date=September 10, 2022 |website=YouTube}}
In 2018 McDonald's revamped the sauce by removing potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, and calcium disodium EDTA.
The sauce is occasionally available for purchase on its own for a limited time. The first time was in 2015. A {{Convert|25|ml|U.S.oz|abbr=on}} tube was available for purchase but only in restaurants in Australia.{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Molly |title=McDonald's Selling Limited Edition Special Sauce for First Time |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/mcdonalds-selling-limited-edition-special-sauce/story?id=28661546 |access-date=4 August 2020 |publisher=ABC News |date=2 February 2015}} It was available again in 2020. A pot was available for purchase but only in res{{Convert|50|ml|U.S.oz|abbr=on}}taurants in the UK and Ireland.{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Sarah |date=January 22, 2020 |title=McDonald's to launch Big Mac dipping sauce next month |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/mcdonalds-big-mac-sauce-how-buy-uk-dipping-pots-a9296931.html |access-date=September 10, 2022 |website=The Independent}} In 2023 and early 2024 it was available in Hungary.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-01 |title=Saláták, köretek, szószok |url=https://www.mcdonalds.com/hu/hu-hu/kiemelt-ajanlatok/salatak--koretek--szoszok.html |access-date=2024-03-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101212546/https://www.mcdonalds.com/hu/hu-hu/kiemelt-ajanlatok/salatak--koretek--szoszok.html |archive-date=January 1, 2024 }} McDonald's Australia offers a "portion cup" of Big Mac Sauce as part of its regular menu. {{Cite web |title=Big Mac® Special Sauce {{!}} McDonald's Australia |url=https://mcdonalds.com.au/menu/big-mac%C2%AE-special-sauce |access-date=2025-05-29 |website=mcdonalds.com.au}}
=Packaging=
The Big Mac was first served inside a collapsible square cardboard container with a circular piece of cardboard placed around the hamburger to hold it together. The cardboard container that was changed to a "clamshell" style, polystyrene foam container in the late 1970s. Polystyrene foam containers were phased out beginning in 1990, due to environmental concerns.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-02-mn-3711-story.html|title=McDonald's to Do Away With Foam Packages|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170404131638/http://articles.latimes.com/1990-11-02/news/mn-3711_1_foam-packages |archive-date=April 4, 2017|work=Los Angeles Times|date=November 2, 1990|url-status=live|access-date=2017-04-03}}
Advertising
="Two all-beef patties" jingle<span class="anchor" id="Two all-beef patties slogan"></span>=
In 1974 McDonald's commissioned an advertising jingle which popularized the list of ingredients of the Big Mac: "Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun."{{cite book | last=Beaudoin | first=N. | title=A School for Each Student: High Expectations in a Climate of Personalization | publisher=Taylor & Francis | year=2013 | isbn=978-1-317-92474-6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ibRFAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA3 | access-date=November 7, 2017 | page=3}}
In 2008 McDonald's restaurants in Malaysia revived the slogan. The revival included the original prize of a free Big Mac if the customer was able to recite the slogan in under four seconds. It was released in May, along with the promotional Mega Mac, which had four beef patties instead of two.
=McDonaldland character=
{{main|McDonaldland}}
File:Officer big mac playground.jpg
McDonald's began a television advertising campaign appealing to children in 1971 featuring a fantasy world populated by Ronald McDonald and various mascots promoting McDonald's products. Some characters were also modeled in McDonald's store playground equipment. The Big Mac was represented by Officer Big Mac, a Keystone Cops-style policeman with a giant Big Mac sandwich for a head. The characters were revised after a 1973 plagiarism lawsuit brought by television puppeteers Sid and Marty Krofft because of similarities to their H.R. Pufnstuf characters. A modified Officer Big Mac continued in the commercials until 1985.
=Hip-hop product placement=
In 2005 McDonald's began offering product placement rewards to hip hop artists who namechecked the Big Mac in their music, giving US$5 to the artist for every time a song mentioning the hamburger was played on the radio.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4389751.stm |title=Return of the Mac – coming soon |work=BBC News |date=March 29, 2005 |access-date=March 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051224150429/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4389751.stm |archive-date=December 24, 2005 |url-status=live}}
=EU trademark revocation=
McDonald's sued the Irish fast-food chain Supermac's for trademark infringement and claimed the name would confuse consumers in European markets. On 11 January 2019, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) ruled in Supermac's favor in what has been called a "David vs. Goliath" victory. McDonald's submitted a copy of the Wikipedia article about the Big Mac as part of its evidence, but the court found the Wikipedia page was not acceptable as "independent evidence".{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/tasty-result-for-supermacs-with-david-and-goliath-big-mac-win-37716672.html |title=Tasty result for Supermac's with 'David and Goliath' Big Mac win |work=Irish Independent |location=Ireland |author=Gordon Deegan |date=January 16, 2019 |access-date=January 16, 2019 |quote=As part of its submission claiming 'proof of use' of the Big Mac, McDonald's submitted a printout from en.wikipedia.org, providing information on the Big Mac hamburger, its history, content and nutritional values in different countries. The EUIPO stated it couldn't accept the Wikipedia evidence as "independent evidence".}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.docdroid.net/A5QdVFE/big-mac-tm-revocation.pdf|title = Big Mac TM revocation.PDF}}
In 2023, the EUIPO Board of Appeal annulled the decision after McDonald's filed 700 pages of additional evidence, despite objections.{{cite web | url=https://www.worldtrademarkreview.com/article/mcdonalds-finally-proves-big-mac-use-what-can-brands-learn-long-running-saga | title=McDonald's finally proves BIG MAC use, but what can brands learn from this long-running saga? }}
Supermac's responded by bringing the case to the European Court of Justice, which finally ruled in 2024 that McDonald's had not proven use of the Big Mac trademark when it came to poultry products or operating restaurants.{{cite news |first1= |title=EU court rules in favour of Supermac's in 'Big Mac' trademark row with McDonald's |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2024/06/05/eu-court-rules-in-favour-of-supermacs-in-trademark-row-with-mcdonalds/ |access-date=5 June 2024 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=6 June 2024}} The ruling does not affect the trademark with respect to the Big Mac burger product.
US sales
In 2007 Danya Proud, a McDonald's spokeswoman, said that in the United States alone 560 million Big Macs are sold each year. This would mean that approximately 17 Big Macs are sold every second.{{cite news|title = Happy Birthday Big Mac|url = https://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=3521002&page=1|date = August 24, 2007}}{{cite news|title = How Many Big Macs Are Sold Each Day?|url = https://www.reference.com/world-view/many-big-macs-sold-day-225cf538abc342ab?qo=contentSimilarQuestions }}
Variants
- The Mega Mac or Double Big Mac: four {{convert|1.6|oz|g|abbr=on}} beef patties and an extra slice of cheese. Available in Australia, Canada, China, Egypt, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan (during promotional periods only), Turkey, Singapore, Pakistan, South Korea, Thailand, and United Kingdom.{{cite web|url=http://www.sixthseal.com/2008/05/mega-mac-and-big-mac-chant.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430212202/http://www.sixthseal.com/2008/05/mega-mac-and-big-mac-chant.html |website=SixthSeal.com |title=Mega Mac and Big Mac Chant |last=Bin |first=Huai |date=May 5, 2008 |archive-date=April 30, 2009 |url-status=dead}} It was introduced to the United States in early 2020, but was discontinued shortly after McDonald's streamlined menus during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sandwich returned to the US market in January 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://www.inc.com/bill-murphy-jr/mcdonalds-menu-big-mac-double-big-mac-little-mac.html|title=Here's Why the Double Big Mac and Little Mac Might Be the Smartest New Things on the Menu at McDonald's|last=Murphy|first=Bill Jr.|date=2020-03-15|website=Inc.com|access-date=2020-04-03}} The Double Big Mac is the biggest regular hamburger the chain produces and it has 680 calories.{{cite web |title=Double Big Mac® |url=http://www.mcdonalds.ca/ca/en/menu/full_menu/sandwiches/double_big_mac.html |publisher=McDonald's Canada |access-date=October 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151020033516/http://www.mcdonalds.ca/ca/en/menu/full_menu/sandwiches/double_big_mac.html |archive-date=October 20, 2015 |url-status=live}}
- Big Big Mac: a Quarter Pounder–like product sold in Europe (Finland, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, and Italy). Has been sold periodically in Sweden, there called "Grand Big Mac".{{Cite web |url=http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/mcdonalds_new_big_big_mac?size=_original |title=The advertising |access-date=February 2, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110921033745/http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/mcdonalds_new_big_big_mac?size=_original |archive-date=September 21, 2011 |url-status=live}}
- The Denali Mac: made with two {{convert|1/4|lb|g|adj=on|spell=in}} patties. Named after Denali in Alaska, and sold only in that state.{{cite web |url=http://www.hometowninvasion.com/towns.php?id=AK|title=Alaska Towns: Palmer, Alaska |year=2011|website=Hometown Invasion Tour |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110712215309/http://www.hometowninvasion.com/towns/alaska|archive-date=July 12, 2011 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.cynical-c.com/2007/05/23/royale-with-cheese/ |website=Cynical-C Blog |title=Royale with Cheese |date=May 23, 2007 |access-date=May 18, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722020714/http://www.cynical-c.com/2007/05/23/royale-with-cheese/ |archive-date=July 22, 2011 |url-status=usurped }}
- In India, where consuming beef is illegal in most states{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}, the Big Mac is known as the Maharaja Mac and was originally made with lamb instead of beef; however, along with the company's other items, it is now made from chicken.{{cite news |title=G2: McDonald's and the World |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/apr/06/globalisation.features11?INTCMP=SRCH |access-date=May 18, 2011 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=April 6, 2001 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422141915/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/apr/06/globalisation.features11?INTCMP=SRCH |archive-date=April 22, 2016 |url-status=live }}{{cite news|last=Arndt|first=Rachel Z.|title=The World's Most Original Burgers: Chicken Maharaja Mac|url=http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/07/0722_innovative_burgers/8.htm|access-date=May 18, 2011|date=February 2, 2009|newspaper=Bloomberg Businessweek|page=8|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090727095414/http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/07/0722_innovative_burgers/8.htm|archive-date=July 27, 2009|url-status=dead}}
- {{anchor| Tamago Big Mac}}The Mega Tamago Mac, a limited variant of the Big Mac, was launched in Japan, consisting of three patties, a fried egg, bacon, and cheese.{{cite web |url=http://news.foodfacts.info/2009/08/mcdonald-japan-mega-egg.html |title= McDonald's Japan: The Mega-Egg |date=14 August 2009 |access-date=10 October 2024 |work=foodfacts.info }}
- {{anchor|Chicken Big Mac}}The Chicken Big Mac is a Big Mac with two breaded chicken patties sold in US,{{cite web |title=McDonald's is finally testing the Chicken Big Mac in the US |url=https://www.today.com/food/restaurants/mcdonalds-chicken-big-mac-rcna43891 |website=Today (American TV program) |access-date=10 April 2023 |language=en |date=August 19, 2022}} UK,{{cite web |last1=Rawley |first1=Jacob |title=McDonald's Chicken Big Mac is returning amid launch of brand new steak burger |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/mcdonalds-bring-back-raft-fan-29517301 |website=Daily Record (Scotland) |access-date=10 April 2023 |language=en |date=21 March 2023}}{{cite web |title=Chicken Big Mac |url=https://www.mcdonalds.com/gb/en-gb/latest/chicken-big-mac.html |website=McDonald's UK |publisher=mcdonalds.com |access-date=10 April 2023}} Canada,{{cite web |title=Chicken Big Mac |url=https://www.mcdonalds.com/ca/en-ca/product/chicken-big-mac.html |website=McDonald's Canada |publisher=mcdonalds.com |access-date=10 April 2023 |language=en-CA}} Pakistan, Egypt, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and other countries as a limited-availability or promotional burger.[http://www.mcdonalds.com.pk/eshop/eshop_items/view/extra-value-meals/72/31 McDonald's Pakistan] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620055553/http://www.mcdonalds.com.pk/eshop/eshop_items/view/extra-value-meals/72/31 |date=June 20, 2012 }} Retrieved September 4, 2012{{Cite web |url=https://www.mcdonaldsarabia.com/kuwait/en/our_food/Menu/a_la_carte.html |title=A La Carte {{!}} McDonald's Kuwait |access-date=August 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141112020108/https://www.mcdonaldsarabia.com/kuwait/en/our_food/Menu/a_la_carte.html |archive-date=November 12, 2014 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |work=mcdonaldsegypt.com |url=http://www.mcdonaldsegypt.com/en/products-product/plain/page/274/cat/16/product/172/subcat/18 |title=Spicy Big Mac Chicken Sandwich |access-date=November 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141112010111/http://www.mcdonaldsegypt.com/en/products-product/plain/page/274/cat/16/product/172/subcat/18 |archive-date=November 12, 2014 |url-status=live}}
- The Giga Big Mac, is sold in Japan. It is a larger version of the Big Mac with three times the meat of a regular one.{{cite news|url=http://fortune.com/2016/04/05/mcdonalds-giga-big-mac/|title=McDonald's Japan Launches Big Mac With 3 Times the Meat|work=Fortune|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022172206/http://fortune.com/2016/04/05/mcdonalds-giga-big-mac/ |archive-date=October 22, 2016|date=April 5, 2016|access-date=October 16, 2016}}
- Little Mac or Mac Jr. is a reduction of the standard Big Mac which uses a two-piece bun and contains only one beef patty. It has been available as a limited-time promotion in the U.S. since 2017.{{cite news | url = https://money.cnn.com/2017/01/18/news/companies/mcdonalds-big-mac/ | title = McDonald's just tweaked the Big Mac | first = Aaron | last = Smith | date = January 18, 2017 | work = CNN Money | publisher = Cable News Network | access-date = January 31, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170120180645/https://money.cnn.com/2017/01/18/news/companies/mcdonalds-big-mac | archive-date = January 20, 2017 | url-status = live }}
- Grand Mac uses larger patties, at {{convert|1/3|lb|g}} combined. It became available in the U.S. beginning in 2017 and was first made available overseas in the UK, Ireland, and Australia as the "Grand Big Mac" in 2018 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original Big Mac. This and the Mac Jr. were collectively known as the "Big Mac range" in the UK.
- Big Mac BLT is a standard Big Mac burger with the addition of bacon and tomato. Released in Australia and New Zealand as a promotional item in late 2017.{{Cite web |url=http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/restaurants-bars/mcdonalds-launches-new-big-mac-blt-burger-for-summer/news-story/df060e772a46a1a50402793e1c34d582 |title=McDonald's brings back their Sweet Mustard Dipping Sauce and people are overjoyed |date=November 28, 2017 |access-date=December 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215222646/http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/restaurants-bars/mcdonalds-launches-new-big-mac-blt-burger-for-summer/news-story/df060e772a46a1a50402793e1c34d582 |archive-date=December 15, 2017 |url-status=live}}
- Big Mac Bacon was introduced in selected markets in 2018, as a limited-time option. It is essentially a Big Mac with added bacon.{{cite web |author=McDonald's |url=https://www.mcdonalds.pt/ementa/categorias/menus/ |title=McMenu |publisher=McDonald's |date=August 20, 2018 |access-date=September 17, 2018}} In 2019, this was extended in the UK to the Grand Big Mac and the Mac Jr.
File:McDonalds Mega Mac Malaysia.jpg|A Mega Mac burger with a large Coke and fries in Malaysia
File:Chicken Maharaja Mac Combo (3155972375).jpg|A Chicken Maharaja Mac in India
File:Big Mac variations 2018.jpg|A Grand Big Mac (left) and Mac Jr. (right) alongside a regular Big Mac (center), released for a limited time in the UK as part of the 50th anniversary of the burger
Museum
On August 22, 2007, McDonald's opened the Big Mac Museum in North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania to celebrate the Big Mac's 40th anniversary. The museum features the world's largest Big Mac statue (measuring 14 feet high and 12 feet wide) and has hundreds of historical artifacts and exhibits that celebrate the Big Mac.{{cite press release|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mcdonaldsr-celebrates-40-years-serving-twoallbeefpattiesspecialsaucelettucecheesepicklesonionsonasesameseedbunr-58510247.html|title=McDonald's Celebrates 40 Years Serving 'Twoallbeefpattiesspecialsaucelettucecheesepicklesonionsonasesameseedbun'|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517151330/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mcdonaldsr-celebrates-40-years-serving-twoallbeefpattiesspecialsaucelettucecheesepicklesonionsonasesameseedbunr-58510247.html |archive-date=May 17, 2014|work=PR Newswire|date=August 22, 2007}}{{cite web|url=http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/living/food/bigmac0824/|title=Big Mac turns 40|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115120038/http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/living/food/bigmac0824/ |archive-date=January 15, 2013|website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|access-date=November 12, 2012}}
Some Uniontown residents were unhappy with the selected location.Al Owens, The Herald-Standard (September 2007). [http://thinkwebworks.com/ao/History.asp?ID=18 "The Mystery of the Curry Burger!"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115143335/http://thinkwebworks.com/ao/History.asp?ID=18 |date=January 15, 2013 }} republished from Herald-Standard (Uniontown). September 15, 2007
Nutritional values per geographical location
The Big Mac is a geographically localized product. In the United States, the Big Mac has {{convert|580|kcal|kJ|abbr=on}}, 34 grams of fat and 25 grams of protein. In Australia, the burger is slightly smaller with {{convert|559|kcal|kJ|abbr=on}} and 26.9 grams of fat, but similar amounts of protein with 25.2 grams,{{cite web |date= |title=Nutrition Information |url=https://mcdonalds.com.au/sites/mcdonalds.com.au/files/Aus%20Core%20Food%20Menu_February%202025.pdf |publisher=McDonald's |location=Australia}} while the Japanese burger tops out the scales at 557 kcal and 30.5 grams of fat. Several McDonald's subsidiaries adapt the standard features of the Big Mac (from the US) to regional requirements.{{Cite web |url=http://www.balancek.com/food/30874 |title=calories big mac |access-date=July 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115120045/http://www.balancek.com/food/30874 |archive-date=January 15, 2013 |url-status=dead }}
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|+Comparisons of the Big Mac standard nutritional values in different countries – Sodium values converted to their salt equivalents, rounded and in bold | ||||||||
| Country
!Energy kcal !Carbohydrates g !Protein g !Fat (total) g !Dietary fiber g !Salt equivalent mg !Serving !Reference | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Argentina}} | 485 | 40 | 24 | 26 | 3.3 | 2005 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130228200448/http://www.mcdonalds.com.ar/sub-secciones/nutricion/include/tabla/tabla_nutrimental_choices.pdf .ar]}} | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Australia}} | 559 | 43.8 | 25.9 | 30.3 | 2725 | 231.7 | [https://mcdonalds.com.au/sites/mcdonalds.com.au/files/Aus%20Core%20Food%20Menu_February%202025.pdf .au] | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Austria}} | 495 | 40 | 27 | 25 | 3 | 2300 | 219 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120227132656/http://www.mcdonalds.at/downloads/quality/NW_Tabelle.pdf .at]}} |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Belgium}} | 495 | 40 | 27 | 25 | 2300 | [http://www.mcdonalds.be/nl/producten/sandwiches/big-mactm .be] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130913024639/http://www.mcdonalds.be/nl/producten/sandwiches/big-mactm |date=September 13, 2013 }} | ||
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Bosnia and Herzegovina}} | 510 | 41 | 27 | 26 | 3 | 2200 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130428044419/http://www.mcdonalds-bh.ba/big-mac .ba]}} (Halted operations.) | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Brazil}} | 491 | 40 | 26 | 26 | 3.8 | 2033 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130627013033/http://www.mcdonalds.com.br/sub-secciones/nutricion/include/tabla/09_restaurante.pdf .br]}} | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Canada}} | 520 | 45 | 23 | 28 | 3 | 2413 | 209 | [http://www.mcdonalds.ca/ca/en/menu/full_menu/sandwiches/big_mac.html .ca] |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Chile}} | 562 | 49 | 27 | 30 | 4 | 1009 | 213 | [https://www.mcdonalds.cl/menu/hamburguesas/big-mac .cl] |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|China}} | 520 | 46 | 26 | 26 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20131025090212/http://www.mcdonalds.com.cn/ourfood/nutrition.aspx .cn]}} | |||
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Croatia}} | 526 | 42.6 | 26.7 | 26.9 | 3.4 | 2200 | [https://www.mcdonalds.hr/ponuda/big-mac/# .hr] | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Czech Republic}} | 510 | 41 | 27 | 26 | 2200 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120322212148/http://www.mcdonalds.cz/cs/produkty/sendvice/big-mac.shtml .cz]}} | ||
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Denmark}} | 510 | 41 | 27 | 26.1 | 3 | 2200 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110521104020/http://www.mcdonaldsmenu.info/nutrition/home.jsp?loc=da&lang=da .info]}} | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Egypt}} | 522 | 52 | 28.235 | 25.911|30 | 2 | 1190 | 234 | [http://mcdonalds.eg/Cms_Data/Contents/En/Media/pdfs/Nutrition/Beef.pdf .eg] |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Finland}} | 510 | 41 | 27 | 26 | 3 | 2200 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20140808041716/http://www.mcdonalds.fi/fi/ruoka/tuotteet/hampurilaiset/bigmac_tuotetiedot.html .fi]}} | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|France}} | 508 | 42 | 27 | 26 | 3.1 | 2300 | 221 | [http://www.mcdonaldsmenu.info/nutrition/home.jsp?loc=fr&lang=fr .info] |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Germany}} | 510 | 41 | 27 | 26 | 3 | 2200 | 221 | [http://www.mcdonalds.de/produkte/produkt-profil?productName=big_mac .de] |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Greece}} | 495 | 40 | 27 | 25 | 3 | 2300 | 221 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130430013507/http://www.mcdonalds.gr/big-mac/ .gr]}} |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Hong Kong}} | 497 | 43.1 | 26.4 | 24.2 | 2003 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20081210134919/http://www.mcdonalds.com.hk/english/food/evm.htm .hk]}} | ||
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Hungary}} | 510 | 41 | 27 | 26 | 3 | 2200 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20121030234421/http://www.mcdonaldsmenu.info/nutrition/home.jsp?loc=hu&lang=hu .info]}} | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Ireland}} | 490 | 41 | 28 | 24 | 4 | 2100 | [http://www.mcdonalds.ie/content/dam/ireland/docs/nutrition.pdf .ie] | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Italy}} | 510 | 42 | 27 | 26 | 3 | 2200 | [https://www.mcdonalds.it/products/panini/big-macr .it] | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Japan}} | 557 | 45.2 | 25.5 | 30.5 | 2800 | [http://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/quality/basic_information/menu_info.php?mid=1210 .jp] | ||
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Lithuania}} | 509 | 42 | 27 | 26 | 3.1 | 2300 | 219 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304082257/http://www.mcd.lt/lt/products/musu-sumustiniai/big-mac .lt]}} |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Malaysia}} | 484 | 46 | 26 | 23 | 1825 | 209 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20121117025042/http://www.mcdonalds.com.my/ourfood/nutritions.asp .my]}} | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Mexico}} | 540 | 52 | 25 | 27 | 3.28 | 2300 | 212 | [https://www.mcdonalds.com.mx/menu/hamburguesas/big-mac .mx] |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Netherlands}} | 524 | 43 | 27 | 27 | 3.4 | 2300 | 229 | [https://www.mcdonalds.com/nl/nl-nl/product/big-mac.html#accordion-7b89f50203-item-9dc886373b .com] |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|New Zealand}} | 494 | 36.8 | 26.4 | 25.9 | 2415 | 202 | [http://mcdonalds.co.nz/sites/mcdonalds.co.nz/files/images/Nutrition-information-NZ-24-April-2013.pdf .nz]{{dead link|date=March 2016}} | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Norway}} | 510 | 41 | 27 | 26 | 3 | 2200 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130731131759/http://www.mcdonalds.no/no/menu/menu-detail.no.no.200018.html .no]}} | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Poland}} | 510 | 41 | 27 | 26 | 3 | 2200 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130525045117/http://www.mcdonaldsmenu.info/nutrition/home.jsp?loc=pl&lang=pl .info]}} | |
| align="left"|{{flagu|Portugal}} | 509 | 42 | 27 | 26 | 3.2 | 2300 | 219 | {{usurped|1=[http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20150424154610/https://www.mcdonalds.pt/tabela%2Dnutricional/ .pt]}} |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Romania}} | 510 | 41 | 27 | 26 | 3 | 2200 | [http://www.mcdonaldsmenu.info/nutrition/home.jsp?loc=ro&lang=ro .info]{{dead link|date=March 2016}} | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Russia}} | 495 | 40 | 27 | 25 | 3 | 2300 | [http://www.mcdonaldsmenu.info/nutrition/home.jsp?loc=ru&lang=ru .info]{{dead link|date=March 2016}} | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Serbia}} | 503 | 40 | 28 | 25 | 3 | 2300 | 219 | [https://www.mcdonalds.rs/mc-product/burgeri-9/ .rs] |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Singapore}} | 522 | 43 | 28 | 25 | 3 | 970 | [https://www.mcdonalds.com.sg/food-menu/big-mac/ .sg] | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Slovenia}} | 503 | 41.2 | 26 | 26 | 3 | 217 | [https://mcdonalds.si/ponudba/glavne-jedi/big-mac .si] | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|South Africa}} | 496 | 39 | 24.3 | 26 | 3.2 | 2433 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20140424161640/http://www.mcdonalds.co.za/content/food.php .za]}} | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|South Korea}} | 510 | 26 | 2533 | 213 | [http://www.mcdonalds.co.kr/#/our-menu .kr] | |||
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Sweden}} | 505 | 42 | 26 | 26 | 3 | 2300 | 219 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120328092958/http://apps.mcdonalds.se/sweden/prodfacts.nsf/ag/16E94337AF0C5540C12575BC004443B7?opendocument .se]}} |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Switzerland}} | 510 | 41 | 27 | 26 | 3 | 2200 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130531141704/http://www.mcdonaldsmenu.info/nutrition/home.jsp?loc=sw&lang=de .info]}} | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Taiwan}} | 530 | 45 | 27 | 26 | [http://www.mcdonalds.com.tw/#/food/item_bigmac/ .tw] | |||
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Turkey}} | 480 | 43 | 28 | 22 | 2100 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20150910200849/http://www.mcdonalds.com.tr/Kalorimetre .tr]}} | ||
| align="left"|{{Flagu|Ukraine}} | 509 | 42 | 27 | 26 | 2300 | {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160807175722/http://www.mcdonalds.ua/ukr/nashi-stravi-/stravi-na-vibir/big-mak/ .ua]}} | ||
| align="left"|{{Flagu|United Kingdom}} | 494 | 42 | 26 | 24 | 3.2 | 2200 | [https://www.mcdonalds.com/gb/en-gb/product/big-mac.html .gb] | |
| align="left"|{{Flagu|United States}} | 580 | 45 | 25 | 34 | 3 | 2650 | 220 | [https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/product/big-mac.html .us] |
Gallery
File:Big Mac hamburger - Australia.jpg|Big Mac, purchased in Canberra, Australia
File:Big Mac combo meal.jpg|A Big Mac combo meal
File:Grand Big Mac.jpg|A Grand Big Mac
See also
{{portal|Food}}
- Don Gorske, a Big Mac enthusiast who eats on average two per day
- The Big Mac Index, a price index published by The Economist
- List of sandwiches
= Similar products by other restaurant chains: =
- Big Boy (Big Boy Restaurants and Frisch's Big Boy)
- Big Hardee (Hardee's)
- Big King (Burger King)
- Big Jack (Hungry Jack's), subject of a trademark infringement lawsuit filed by McDonald's.
- Big Shef (Burger Chef)
- Big Wink (Winky's)
- Bonus Jack (Jack in the Box)
- Double-double Animal Style (In-N-Out Burger)
- Superburger (Eat'n Park)
- Teen Burger (A&W) is not a double decker like the Big Mac, but its "teen sauce" is similar to Big Mac sauce.
- Whopper, Burger King's signature sandwich
References
{{reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite news |first=Peter B. |last=Gallagher |date=March 10, 1975 |title=Beefed-up old jingle pays off for Big Mac |page=1D |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xAoOAAAAIBAJ&pg=5978,2392418&dq=birmingham-americans&hl=en |work=St. Petersburg Times |access-date=April 12, 2010 }}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
External links
{{Commons category|Big Mac}}
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100503223319/http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/food/full_menu/sandwiches/big_mac.html Official US product information]}}
- [http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/food/beef/big-mac.mcdj?dnPos=-363 Official UK product information]
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110531033617/http://www.mcdonaldsindia.com/menu.html Official product information for the Chicken Maharaja-Mac]}}
- [http://www.economist.com/markets/bigmac/ The Big Mac Index]
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20081024011035/http://www.bigmacmuseum.com/ The Big Mac Museum]}} in North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080127173806/http://al-paslow.smugmug.com/gallery/3410396#190877921 Photo Tour of Big Mac Museum]}}
{{hamburgers}}
{{McDonald's}}