The Big Mac became a global McDonald's brand after its national launch in 1968.
Jim Delligatti, a McDonald's franchisee in the Pittsburgh area, created the sandwich after developing a larger burger with two beef patties, a middle bun layer, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and special sauce. It first sold locally before McDonald's introduced it nationally in 1968.
The product's name and construction made it unusually useful as a branding asset. The Big Mac was easy to identify, visually distinctive, and consistent with McDonald's emphasis on recognizable menu standards. Its name also entered popular culture and economic commentary through the Big Mac Index, an informal comparison of currency purchasing power.
The Big Mac is sometimes confused with the Quarter Pounder because both are flagship McDonald's burgers. They differ in structure: the Big Mac uses two smaller patties and a three-part bun, while the Quarter Pounder is named for the pre-cooking weight of its single beef patty.