In McDonald's branding history, the product name that became a major brand icon after its 1967 introduction was Big Mac.
The Big Mac was created by Jim Delligatti, a McDonald's franchisee in the Pittsburgh area, and was introduced nationally in the United States in 1968 after being tested locally. Its two beef patties, middle bun layer, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onions gave the sandwich a distinctive identity within McDonald's menu branding.
The sandwich's name became more than a menu label. McDonald's used it in advertising, jingles, packaging, and promotional language, making “Big Mac” one of the most globally recognizable fast-food product names. The Big Mac Index later gave the name an economic association by comparing the sandwich's price in different countries.
The 1967 and 1968 dates are both encountered because the sandwich was first introduced in selected markets in 1967 and then rolled out nationally in the United States in 1968.