The Big Mac was introduced nationally across the United States in 1968.
McDonald's first tested the sandwich in the Pittsburgh area in 1967. Its creator was Jim Delligatti, a franchisee who operated restaurants in western Pennsylvania. The sandwich used two beef patties, a middle bun layer, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and the sauce later strongly associated with the product.
The name was supplied by Esther Glickstein Rose, a 21-year-old McDonald's advertising secretary, who suggested “Big Mac” in 1967. It replaced earlier test names, including the Aristocrat and Blue Ribbon Burger. The national launch made the Big Mac one of the clearest examples of a product becoming a lasting part of McDonald's brand identity.
The Big Mac's three-part bun is often mistaken for two separate buns. The center layer is called the club layer and helps support the sandwich's filling.