Who created the Big Mac, first sold at a McDonald’s restaurant in 1967?

Jim Delligatti created the Big Mac, first sold at a McDonald’s restaurant in 1967.

Delligatti was a McDonald’s franchisee in the Pittsburgh area who wanted a larger sandwich for customers seeking a more substantial meal. His creation used two beef patties, a middle bun section, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and special sauce.

The sandwich first appeared at Delligatti’s Uniontown, Pennsylvania, restaurant in 1967. After proving popular, it was introduced nationally in the United States in 1968 and became one of McDonald’s most recognizable branded products.

Ray Kroc is frequently credited with McDonald’s expansion, but he did not invent the Big Mac. The product was created by a franchisee, illustrating how McDonald’s franchise network sometimes generated important additions to the company’s menu and identity.