Top 10 Untold Truths of McDonald's Big Mac

For more than 50 years, people around the world have gone crazy for what has become a McDonald's menu staple: the Big Mac. Since its inception, the burger has amassed a repertoire of interesting (and sometimes ridiculous times). These will be great conversation starters for the next time you and your friends go to the restaurant, so here are the 10

untold

truths

about the McDonald's Big Mac. How the Big Mac Began Today, it's impossible to imagine a McDonald's menu without at least some variation of the Big Mac, but surprisingly, it hasn't always been there. The fast food chain had been in operation for over ten years before the burger was officially introduced to the masses.

Its creation is attributed to Jim Delligatti, owner of a McDonald's in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. During the 1960s, Pittsburgh and its surrounding regions contributed greatly to the global steel industry, and many men employed by the steel mills stopped by the restaurant after working long, grueling shifts. Many of these steelworkers were regular customers, and it wasn't long before Delligatti realized that no ordinary hamburger could satisfy the appetite they had developed during hours of intense physical labor. He began strategizing how to create a cheeseburger that would actually fill them up. He folded the burgers, added a third bun, added some pickles and onions, and slowly but surely, the Big Mac was born.

Anyone who has ever eaten a Big Mac can attest that Delligatti managed to create enough burger filling to satisfy even the hungriest. The Big Mac was sold in the Greater Pittsburgh region beginning in 1967, and in 1968 it was introduced at McDonald's throughout the United States. The rest is history. Home of the Big Mac Over the years, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has come to be known by several nicknames. It has been called "The City of Steel" due to its history as one of the largest steel producers in the world, "The City of Bridges" because it is home to more than 400 bridges, and "El Burgo" for obvious reasons.

These are just a few of the many nicknames you may have heard people refer to Pittsburgh, but there is another lesser-known name that was given to the city in celebration of the Big Mac. Uniontown, the birthplace of the Big Mac, is located in the greater Pittsburgh region and it's safe to say that the city is very proud to be able to take credit for the creation of this famous burger. So in 1992, when the Big Mac celebrated its 25th anniversary, Pittsburgh pulled out all the stops. On September 25, Pittsburgh was renamed “Big Mac, USA.” and for one day, and one day only, the city was known by another name.

Obviously (and maybe unfortunately?), the change couldn't be maintained permanently, but it was still a great way to pay homage to one of America's favorite fast food meals. Same McD's restaurant, different McD's burger Everyone knows the ingredients of the classic McDonald's Big Mac. Sesame bun, two meat patties, lettuce, onion, pickles, American cheese and, of course, the special sauce. However, around the world you can find many variations of the iconic burger, each with its own unique twist. Many of them were created to accommodate religious dietary restrictions, while others are simply the product of creativity and experimentation. Specific to Alaska is the McKinley Mac, which replaces traditional 1.6-ounce burgers with quarter-pounders.

In Israel there is the Kosher Big Mac, which is served without cheese. The Maharaja Mac is sold at Indian McDonald's and uses chicken patties instead of beef. The Mega Mac is an absolute monstrosity, containing four patties and extra cheese, and is sold in many countries, including Canada, China, Pakistan and South Korea. Along the same lines is the Giga Big Mac, which can be found in Japan and contains three times more meat than the regular Big Mac. That's one way to incorporate protein. On the other hand, if you want to tone it down a bit, in New Zealand you can order the Son of Mac, which contains only one burger and no central bun.

The Big Mac Museum Opened in 2007, the Big Mac Museum is located in North Huntington, Pennsylvania. The museum was opened by Mike Delligatti, son of Big Mac mastermind Jim Delligatti, and is packed with historical memorabilia, making it a great place to brush up on McDonald's trivia. Screens throughout the museum play vignettes depicting the life of Big Mac creator Jim Delligatti, as well as the history of the restaurant and its corresponding nonprofit, Ronald McDonald House Charities. You'll also find a 14-foot-tall Big Mac statue, which sounds like a pretty good photo opportunity, in case you're looking to up your Instagram game.

It also houses a very realistic bust of Delligati, which was made as a way to pay tribute to the man who brought us the Big Mac. Of course, a McDonald's museum wouldn't be complete without a restaurant. After touring the museum, you and your family will be able to enjoy your Big Macs with a newfound appreciation. On top of that, all children will be delighted to know that the restaurant is equipped with a luxury Play Place. The next time you're in Pennsylvania, consider adding this unique tourist attraction to your itinerary. Pay Your McDonald's Bill Like anything else, the price of the Big Mac has inflated over time.

When they were first introduced to the public in 1967, they cost only 45 cents, which is crazy to think about. Nowadays, at most Canadian and American McDonald's you can expect to spend about five dollars, give or take a few cents, when you buy a Big Mac. This seems pretty reasonable, considering the large amount of food you get with each serving. . When you travel abroad, you'll see McDonald's restaurants everywhere, and while the golden arches may remain the same, you'll find there's a clear difference in price. The most expensive Big Mac in the world is sold in Switzerland, which makes sense, since the cost of living there is quite high.

If you ever find yourself at a Swiss McD's, you might want to choose something else from the menu, unless you're okay with spending almost seven dollars on a burger. Alternatively, load up on your Big Macs when you're in Ukraine, home to the world's cheapest Big Mac. They cost less than two dollars! You can also find cheap Big Macs in places like Russia, Malaysia, and South Africa, where they sell for around $2.50. Biggest Big Mac Fan You might think you love the Big Mac, but is there really anyone who loves it as much as Donald Gorske? Probably not.

The Wisconsin native holds the world record for most Big Macs eaten by a single person. Guinness World Records officially awarded him the title in 2006, but that didn't stop him. In May 2018, the total number of his burgers exceeded 30,000. He achieved this for several decades, eating an average of two Big Macs a day since 1972. It's surprising that he hasn't grown tired of them, but Gorske claims that the hamburger is his favorite food and today he loves it as much as he does. . He did so in 1972. He followed his progress over the years, saving receipts, wrappers and bags, and keeping records in notebooks.

You can't say he's not dedicated. On top of all that, he is also a published author. His novel "22, 477 Big Macs" was published in 2008 and chronicles his life's journey to becoming the number one Big Mac fan. The most surprising thing about all this is not the fact that Gorske ate more than 30,000 Big Macs, but the fact that he ate 30,000 Big Macs and claims to be in perfect health. The world works in mysterious ways. Big Mac's name appears in rap songs Over the years, McDonald's has come up with several marketing plans and many of them were successful. A lot of it involved music in some way, shape, or form.

For example, most people are familiar with at least a couple of McDonald's jingles. From "I'm lovin' it" to the Big Mac jingle, they are unforgettable and instantly recognizable. Surely at some point you have had one stuck in your head. But apparently, having its own iconic jingles wasn't enough for McDonald's. In 2005, the company decided it was time to delve deeper into the world of music, specifically rap music. Now, McDonald's was not going to produce or record any of the songs. The deal was that if established rappers mentioned the Big Mac in a song, they would receive five dollars from McDonald's every time that song was played on the radio.

This is not unheard of: rappers like Kanye West and Busta Rhymes have made fortunes from product placement in their songs. However, this marketing strategy wasn't exactly the most successful of McDonald's advertising campaigns and never took off, which is a shame. Imagine the material Kanye would have come up with using the burger as inspiration. Truly a missed opportunity. History of the Big Mac Special Sauce One of the key ingredients of the Big Mac is the special sauce. This seemingly simple condiment has a history as long and interesting as that of the Big Mac itself. Originally, it was known as “Secret Sauce,” and it wasn't until one of the aforementioned jingles appeared in 1974 (“Two beef patties, sauce special, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions on a sesame seed bun. - you know it).

It's not just the name that has changed. The recipe itself has also been modified and updated over the years. At the time of the birth of the Big Mac, two different recipes were used for the sauce, each of which worked equally well. In 1972, the decision was made to combine elements of both versions to create the definitive sauce. This was the recipe that was used until 1991, when the decision was made to change things up a bit. However, in 2004, the CEO decided to return to the original recipe. With all this recipe talk, you may be wondering what actually goes into making Special Sauce.

Well, no one knew until 2012, when McDonald's finally let the cat out of the bag. The once-secret ingredient list includes mayonnaise, sweet sauce, yellow mustard, vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Another interesting fact about the famous condiment is that it is applied to each Big Mac with a specially calibrated dispenser, similar to a caulking gun, which ensures that the optimal amount of sauce is applied to each burger evenly. Big Mac: What's in a name? A Big Mac by any other name would taste just as tasty. The nickname is so famous that it's hard to imagine the burger having any other name, but it almost did.

When the burger was young, the company experimented with many possible names, including "Big Appeal," "The Aristocrat" and "Blue Ribbon Burger." It is true that it is not the best material. Before the burger was officially released, testing was done under the name "The Aristocrat" and it was not well received. Since no one liked the name, the name of the burger had to be changed and the advertising team was forced to go back to the drawing board. However, they had a lot of trouble finding something better. So how did the Big Mac get its name? All thanks to a woman named Esther Glickstein, who at the time worked as a secretary in McDonald's advertising department.

Her superiors initially laughed at her suggestion of the name "Big Mac," which now seems a little awkward. After all, here we are more than 50 years later and the name is known around the world. Esther's story is quite inspiring in that sense. The Big Mac Index It is not at all surprising to hear the fact that the Big Mac is a huge source of income for McDonald's. It is second only to potato chips in terms of sales and has been a success since its inception. By 1969, a year after its public launch, it was already generating almost twenty percent of McDonald's revenue.

Due to its international popularity, The Economist created the Big Mac Index in 1986. The index was used to examine how market exchange rates can lead to goods being priced similarly in different countries, as well as to measure power parity. purchasing power between different currencies. It does this using the price of a Big Mac as a reference point. It's purely informal, but still quite informative. The Big Mac Index has stood the test of time and is still used today, and a quick search on the Internet will give you an idea of ​​what is happening in today's economy. It is a little more accessible than more formal reports for those of us who are less interested or less versed in economic matters, as it presents the information in a fun and interesting, but still educational way.

We have more than Big Macs on our menu, so stick around and click through to another one of our great videos. And to find out how to become an official BabbleTopper, click the join link in the description below.