McDonald’s is an iconic fast-food restaurant. Many beloved products have been introduced since the restaurant was founded in 1955, including the Big Mac.
Continue reading to learn 15 things you probably didn’t know about McDonald’s flagship burger, the Big Mac.
15. It Was Created for Steelworkers
Male workers from nearby steel mills in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, were dissatisfied with the size of the small, single-patty burgers they were getting at Jim Delligatti’s McDonald’s location after work in the evenings.
So, he came up with a plan to keep his customers happy. Drawing inspiration from sandwiches sold at nearby diners, Delligatti came up with the idea for a “double-decker” burger that would later be coined the Big Mac.
FUN FACT: Delligatti eventually opened nearly 50 McDonald’s stores across the state of Pennsylvania.
14. It Wasn’t a Hit Initially
Believe it or not, McDonald’s managers were initially unhappy with the Big Mac. That’s because the new burger strayed from their tried-and-tested burgers. Thankfully, its inventor was persistent and persuaded the bosses to change their minds.
But, he could only move forward with his new invention on one condition — that it is made with ingredients and products already part of the McDonald’s portfolio.
After making one minor tweak — he used a double-sliced, sesame-seed-topped bun sourced from a local bakery instead of the restaurant’s existing bread — the sandwich was ready to go.
13. A Newspaper Headline Inspired its Jingle
The words “two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame-seed bun” were written as a headline on a McDonald’s print ad that ran in college newspapers in 1974.
The creative director of McDonald’s advertising agency saw the ad and thought it would make a great jingle, and the rest is history. The original jingle aired for only a year and a half. Subsequent versions aired throughout the rest of the 70s and the 80s.
FYI, you can view the 1974 commercial on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEBCV0ic6Tc.
