12 Facts You Didn't Know About McDonald's Big Mac

The McDonald's Big Mac is as American as apple pie. A franchise owner named Michael James Delligatti invented it in 1967, unknowingly gifting the world the most iconic fast-food hamburger of all time. It's a double dose of delicious made with seven jingle-friendly ingredients: two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onions on a sesame seed bun. 

Briefly referred to as the "Aristocrat" and the "Blue Ribbon Burger," the Big Mac was Delligatti's take a Big Boy's sandwich — Big Boy being the first fast food chain to offer double cheeseburgers at the time. Delligatti can only take credit for the burger itself, though, an advertising secretary named Esther Glickstein Rose is the lesser-known legend responsible for the name "Big Mac." 

People love this handheld classic. From television and film to fashion, the Big Mac is an indelible part of pop culture. There is a guy in Wisconsin who has eaten over 34,000 Big Macs in his lifetime if you need further proof. Here are some facts you didn't know about McDonald's Big Mac, the sandwich that's satisfied burger lovers for nearly half a century. 

McDonald's official mascot for the Big Mac was retired in the '90s, but if you were around, you likely couldn't forget this dutiful character. As the name cheekily suggests, Officer Big Mac was a walking, talking anthropomorphic Big Mac who wore a blue police officer uniform. As Chief of Police, he was tasked with maintaining law and order in McDonaldland, a magical place inhabited by the chain's quirky characters who were all the rage until being mostly phased out in the 1980s. The Hamburglar, one of the few characters to survive McDonald's streamlining, was on Officer Big Mac's most wanted list. The burger-obsessed criminal was always up to no good in commercials and was frequently apprehended. 

Rose-colored nostalgia aside, McDonald's had good reasons to retire Officer Big Mac from the force. The legendary McDonald's PlayPlace used to have an Officer Big Mac-themed climb-in jail cell that was as fun as it was dangerous. The imaginary jail cell injured over 400 children and would-be hamburglars. One mascot still stands at McDonald's unofficial museum, though. Along with a desire to streamline, losing a million dollar lawsuit due to a copyright infringement accusation presumably didn't help Officer Big Mac's case, either.

Everyone knows McDonald's famous Big Mac jingle. It's one of those annoyingly catchy tunes that live rent-free in your head. Each word rolls rhythmically off the tongue as if the ingredients were destined to go together. Interestingly, the Big Mac was on McDonald's menu for six years before its infectious jingle premiered in a 1974 commercial. The catchy tagline only appeared in printed advertisements, until Keith Reinhard, chairman emeritus of major advertising agency DDB Worldwide, came up with the idea to turn it into a jingle.

Mark Vieha, the original performer, would later add the melodic cadence we now know and love. His simple yet effective approach produced a timeless jingle, helping to solidify the Big Mac's iconic status. In the commercial, a man matter-of-factly lists each ingredient before we hear Mark Vieha's jingle play. McDonald's hasn't used the Big Mac jingle as much since the arrival of the "I'm Lovin' It" jingle. But, you'll still hear it now and again. In 2024, fans were challenged to sing it as part of the McDonald's Big Mac chant challenge, proving that Mark Vieha's jingle is an enduring part of McDonald's DNA.

Believe it or not, there was a time when double-patty burgers didn't exist. However, necessity is the mother of invention, so when Michael Delligatti noticed how big of an appetite steel workers had, he knew he had to go back to the drawing board. Today, adding a second, third, or even fourth patty is par for the course, but back then, it must've been like a revelation from the culinary gods. Fortunately for Delligatti, it's easier to innovate than it is to invent. Competitor chain Big Boy had already pioneered the idea, and all Delligatti had to do was make it better. So he added three more ingredients: pickles, onions, and a special sauce.

It's unknown whether or not McDonald's supported Delligatti's Big Mac initially or only after it became a success — which didn't take long. Fast forward to today, and people from all walks of life eat Big Macs. The creation of the sandwich may have inspired numerous franchisees to contribute items to the menu. It was easier to get permission to test new menu items in those days, as McDonald's was a much smaller company. Today, however, decisions are more centralized and franchisees have less freedom to experiment.

The number of fast food burger options available to consumers has increased since 1967, but the Big Mac still lays claim to the throne. From the special sauce to the perfectly toasted sesame seed bun, there's a reason why it's one of the most popular items on the menu. According to Delaware Online, each year, McDonald's sells a jaw-dropping 550 million Big Macs — in the United States alone. The chain operates in 118 countries and territories, so just imagine how many more it sells internationally. 

This double-decker craving killer even has a day named after it, lovingly dubbed "International Big Mac Day." Around the world, fans celebrate everything Big Mac-related on Michael Delligatti's birthday, August 2. A 2020 campaign may have bolstered sales further. It gave customers an option to downsize or supersize their Big Mac, respectively called the Little Mac and the Double Mac. The Little Mac has only one patty and the Double has four meaty slabs of 100% beef — both, however, still include those classic seven ingredients.

It seems like the price of everything is going up. The average cost of a Big Mac meal has increased 21% from where it was in 2019, according to an open letter written by Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald's U.S.A. If you have a Hamburglar-sized appetite, buying Big Macs can add up. A former McDonald's chef, however, says that you should never order the Big Mac. Instead, with some strategic ordering, you can transform a McDouble into a Big Mac and shave off a few bucks.

Prices vary from franchise to franchise but the Big Mac is clearly a couple bucks more expensive than the McDouble. Therefore, you can save several some dough by simply by ordering a McDouble and requesting that it be made "like a Mac," or more specifically, with special sauce instead of ketchup and mustard. The only difference is the missing bread slice in the middle, which is worth ditching for some savings.

To stay on top as long as Micky D's has, you can't be afraid to take risks. In December 2023, McDonald's announced it would be making over 50 burger tweaks – and the Big Mac was among them. It was reported that McDonald's re-tuned each ingredient, from how the onions are cooked to how the cheese melts. The legendary sesame seed bun being replaced by a buttery brioche bun with scattered sesame seeds was perhaps the biggest pivot. Keeping the sesame seeds was a wise decision; the jingle wouldn't have the same ring with brioche bun.

The upgraded buns have more fluff and are thicker than the original, which, according to McDonald's, makes them better for heat retention. One person even tried the upgraded Big Mac when it was released and said the bun is indeed softer, but tends to fall apart. Another review expected more of a buttery punch, but if you knew why Anthony Bourdain didn't like brioche buns for hamburgers, a butterless bun may be a good thing.

McDonald's has managed to keep the recipe to its special sauce a secret since it first opened. Secret special sauces existed prior to The Golden Arches' version, though none are as famous. However, that hasn't stopped people from trying to recreate the sweet and savory magic of the original. The flavor is often compared to Thousand Island, but if a TikTok video from former McDonald's corporate chef Mike Haracz is to be believed, there is no ketchup in Big Mac sauce.

Some secret sauce sleuths suspect the ingredients include mayo, dill pickle relish, French dressing, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, turmeric, and salt. But, it wouldn't be called "secret sauce" if it were that easy to guess. Funny enough, rumor has it that the company originally referred to it as the Big Mac Sauce '72. As the tale goes, there were two flavors at first, until McDonald's famed CEO Ray Kroc decided to combine them into one consistent, creamy sauce. Though it is unconfirmed, that, boys and girls, is how we supposedly ended up with special sauce.

Burgers and fries are the first thing that comes to mind when talking about McDonald's. But, one thing that's often overlooked is the brand's amazing food-inspired apparel. When fast food and fashion intersect, the results are rarely stylish. There is a fine line between being a walking advertisement and a fashionable fan. McDonald's, however, managed to get it right on more than one occasion. Did you know about the McKiD's clothing line from the '80s? McDonald's has a long history of collaborating with luxury fashion houses, artists, and celebrities — proving that it isn't just tasty, but has taste.

One of its most iconic apparel pieces was the Big Mac hat, a vintage-style box cap with a Big Mac printed on it. They were launched as part of a 1984 promotion. The Big Mac hat was free for employees and just $0.99 for customers — with the purchase of a Big Mac meal. McDonald's stopped making them a while ago, but if you happen to still own one, you could sell it on eBay today for hundreds of dollars.

Contrary to popular belief, not all inventors receive credit, nor money, for their inventions. Alexey Pajitnov, the Russian creator behind the classic arcade game Tetris, didn't receive any royalties until 10 years after the game was released. He made off well compared to countless others lost to the annals of history. Michael Delligatti, for example, never got a penny from McDonald's for inventing its most famous hamburger. 

Unsurprisingly, McDonald's corporation took the lion's share of money, and instead of royalties, rewarded Delligatti with a plaque. Considering how many millions of Big Macs McDonald's sells, it's safe to assume that Delligatti would have made enough dough to pass down to his children's children. That royal snub didn't stop him from his weekly Big Mac routine, though. People say that Delligatti religiously ate one each week up to his passing in 2016.

After selling millions and millions of Big Macs, it was only a matter of time before McDonald's came up with the genius idea to make a chicken version. At least, it seemed like a genius idea on paper. Released internationally before making its domestic debut, the Chicken Mac comes with everything the Big Mac does except onions. Rather than the traditional frying method, McDonald's decided to use tempura-battered chicken, which gives it a thin, crispy coating. Tempura batter isn't as dense as regular deep-fry batter, and it is generally considered healthier because it doesn't retain as much oil. Nevertheless, McDonald's Chicken Mac has more calories and carbs than the OG. According to the chain's website, the Big Mac has 590 calories compared to the Chicken Mac's 598.33. 

The hype surrounding the Chicken Mac surprisingly vanished following its release. Scores of anxious fans were disappointed in the bland taste, going so far as to compare the patties to massive chicken nuggets. The Chicken Mac was only available in the U.S. for a limited time, but it is still available overseas.

If a regular Big Mac doesn't satisfy your cravings, there are ways to get more beef for your buck. McDonald's lets you customize any order to your liking. Next time you visit The Golden Arches, ask to have your Big Mac patties swapped with Quarter Pounder ones. Weighing in at 4 ounces before it hits the griddle, one Quarter Pounder patty has nearly twice the amount of beef as one Big Mac patty. 

The Double Big Mac (made with four patties) even pales in comparison to the Quarter Pounder's beefiness. If you replace the patties on a regular Double Big Mac with two Quarter Pounder slabs, you'll still get almost 100 more calories more than you would with four regular patties. There is one caveat, though, and that's finding a location that will make the swap. It isn't an official menu item, so some franchises may decline making it for you, or will simply look at you weird.

If you thought that the Double Big Mac was the biggest mac around, think again. Pennsylvania, a city known for all sorts of unique foods, is where the world's largest Big Mac resides. The only problem is that you can't eat it. This behemoth burger is 14 feet high and 12 feet wide – considerably larger than the average human's mouth-span. Next time you visit the Keystone State, stop by the McDonald's in North Huntingdon to witness its Instagrammable glory. The location was christened the Big Mac Museum in 2007, though it more closely resembles a miniature gallery. 

There, you can peruse a chronological, albeit brief, history of the Big Mac. Aside from a tasty timeline and various vintage McDonald's items, the proverbial "Big Mac" museum is just a regular McDonald's. The highlight is, indeed, the massive Big Mac that sits in the PlayPlace area. If you were hoping for a literal supersized Big Mac, head to Alaska. McDonald's throughout the state sell a burger inspired by Mount Denali, the highest peak in North America. Appropriately named the "Denali Big Mac," it's every bit as mountainous as the rocky range it's named after. Be forewarned, though, as you may need three hands to hold it.