Who created the Big Mac for McDonald's in 1967, before it became a national menu item?

Jim Delligatti created the Big Mac for McDonald's in 1967. Delligatti was a franchisee who operated several restaurants in the Pittsburgh area and developed the larger sandwich to appeal to customers seeking a more substantial meal.

The Big Mac used two beef patties, a middle bun section, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and special sauce. Its distinctive stacked construction gave McDonald's a signature product that became an important part of the company's visual and menu identity.

The sandwich was first tested in the Pittsburgh area before being introduced nationally in 1968. Its name was selected after other proposed names were rejected, and the product soon became one of the most recognizable branded hamburgers in the world.

Ray Kroc led McDonald's corporate expansion, but he did not invent the Big Mac. Lou Groen, another franchisee, is associated with the Filet-O-Fish. These separate contributions are common sources of confusion in McDonald's history.