McDonald’s first sold the Big Mac nationally in the United States in 1968.
The sandwich was created by Jim Delligatti, a McDonald’s franchisee who operated restaurants in the Pittsburgh area. He developed a larger hamburger with two beef patties, a middle bun section, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and special sauce. The product was first tested regionally before receiving a national rollout.
The Big Mac became more than a menu item: its name, stacked shape, and distinctive packaging became important parts of McDonald’s product branding. The company later used the sandwich in international advertising and comparisons of prices, including the Economist’s Big Mac Index.
The sandwich is sometimes credited solely to McDonald’s corporate headquarters. Delligatti’s franchisee role is a key part of its documented origin.