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The Big Mac is a type of hamburger, a signature sandwich sold by the McDonald's chain of fast-food restaurants, since 1968.
About the burger
The Big Mac was apparently inspired by a similar doubledecker hamburger sold by the Big Boy chain since 1936. The burger was invented by McDonald's franchisee Jim Delligatti at a location in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, before being picked up nation-wide. Frank Berardi, a retired biology teacher at Uniontown Area High School in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, claims to have served the first Big Mac to a customer when he worked at the old McDonald's at the shopping center on Morgantown Street as a teenager. The McDonald's owned by Jim Delligatti was demolished around 2001, and a new restaurant built in the same plaza about 300 feet (100 m) away.
According to a famous advertising jingle, it consists of "two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun." However, the most distinctive feature is a middle layer of bread that is used to stabilize the contents of the hamburger to prevent spillage.
In some restaurants, McDonald's also offers a "Mega Mac" with four patties and an extra slice of cheese. In the United Kingdom, the "Mega Mac" was once available but has since been discontinued along with the Super-size option as a part of the healthier McDonald's menu. The "Mega Mac", however, has been for sale in Ireland since early 2006. In Germany, larger burgers and buns are used to make a "Bigger Big Mac. McDonald's is pressing ahead with the "Bigger Big Mac" in both the UK and Ireland in celebration of the World Cup 2006. The burger is 40% bigger (compared to the weight of a normal big mac), and contains almost the same amount of saturated fat as the recommended daily allowance.
The Big Mac is known worldwide and is often used as a symbol of American capitalism. The Economist has used it as a reference point to determine the cost of living in different countries — the Big Mac index — since it is so widely available and is comparable across markets.
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. This offer quickly spawned a satirical backlash from a group called the Gatbustaz, in the form of the song, "McGangsta." [http://customerevangelists.typepad.com/blog/2005/04/mcdonalds_gets_.html
Having consumed over 20,000 Big Macs, Don Gorske is possibly the world's greatest Big Mac eater. He was featured in the 2004 documentary film Super Size Me.
In India, the Big Mac is called the Maharaja Mac and is made with lamb instead of beef.The mutton Maharaja Mac was available in 1998, but is not available at least since 2002. A Chicken Maharaja Mac sandwich is also available. In Saudi Arabia, the two meat patties are "100% grilled; inspected Halal; no additives, fillers, binders, preservatives, extenders, or flavor enhancers. Only pure forequarter and flank".[http://www.mcdonaldsarabia.com/english/ksa/nutrition_menu.asp There are also variations in other countries, especially to the condiments.
Burger King made a competing product called the Big King (or "Big K") burger which had similar ingredients and taste to a Big Mac.
Many have applauded the fact that Big Macs have gotten smaller over the years as McDonald's has become increasingly responsive to the demand for lighter and healthier fare. McDonalds enjoys slightly higher profits from smaller Big Macs with the same price, although there is no linear relation, as (fixed) labor cost accounts for the major part of a Big Mac's cost structure—which is why "Super Size Menus" are so attractive for fast food chains).
Nutritional values
In the United States, the Big Mac has 560 kilo calories, 47 grams of carbohydrates and 25 grams of protein. In Australia, however, the burger is smaller with 480 calories, 36.2 grams carbohydrate, but similar amounts of protein with 25.3 grams.*| Country | Calories | Carbohydrate | Protein | Total fat | Dietary fiber | Sodium | Serving size (weight) | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align="left" | 480 | 36.2g | 25.3g | 24.9g | 800mg | .au | ||
| align="left" | 530 | 44g (15%) | 24g | 29g (45%) | 3 g (12%) | 1020mg (43%) | 208g | .ca |
| align="left" | 497 | 43g | 27.1g | 24.1g | 219g | .dk | ||
| align="left" | 503 | 44g | 26g | 25g | .de | |||
| align="left" | 492 | 38.9g | 26.2g | 25.8g | 4.2g | 0.9g | .fr | |
| - West Zone (Chicken Maharaja Mac) | 573 | 54g | 32g | 26g | 255g | .com | ||
| align="left" | 484 | 46g | 26g | 23g | 730mg | 209g | .my | |
| align="left" | 600 | 50g | 25g | 33g | 4g | 1050mg | 219g | .mx |
| align="left" | 496 | 49.8g | 27.9g | 21.1g | 810.9mg | .tr | ||
| align="left" | 560 | 47g (16%) | 25g (45%) | 30g (47%) | 3g (14%) | 1010mg (42%) | 219g | .com |
McDonaldland character
Jingles
The Big Mac advertising jingle as sung in other languages:
- Portuguese (Brazil): "Dois hambúrgueres, alface, queijo, molho especial, cebola e picles num pão com gergelim"
- Spanish (Argentina): "Dos partes de carne, salsa especial, pepino, cebolla, lechuga, queso y pan hacen el Big Mac"
- Turkish (Turkey): "Açsan, gidersin meke yersin bir Big Mac, çocuğuna da Small Mac."
See also
- Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun.
- McDonald's TV campaigns and slogans
External links
- Official product information for the Big Mac
- Official product information for the Maharaja Mac
- The Big Mac Index
McDonald's foods | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 1968 introductions
Big Mac | Big Mac | Big Mac | Big Mac | Big Mac | ビッグマック | Big Mac | Big Mac | Big Mac | Big Mac
"Big Mac"