McDonald’s introduced the Big Mac in 1967.
The Big Mac was created by Jim Delligatti, a McDonald’s franchisee who operated restaurants in the Pittsburgh area. The sandwich used two beef patties, a middle bun section, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and a special sauce.
It was first sold in the United States in 1967 and became available nationally the following year. The product gave McDonald’s a larger, more distinctive hamburger at a time when competition in the fast-food market was growing.
The Big Mac’s name and layered construction became important parts of McDonald’s product branding. The sandwich is often confused with other large fast-food burgers, but its identifying feature is the three-part bun containing two patties. The Big Mac also later became associated with the Big Mac Index, an informal economic comparison based on its price in different countries.