Who created the Big Mac for McDonald’s?

Jim Delligatti created the Big Mac for McDonald’s.

Delligatti was a McDonald’s franchisee in the Pittsburgh area who developed the larger sandwich in the 1960s. He wanted a menu item that could compete with substantial hamburgers sold by rival restaurants. The sandwich used two beef patties, a middle bun section, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and a special sauce.

The Big Mac was introduced in 1967 and became nationally available in the United States in 1968. Its distinctive name, three-part bun, and recognizable packaging helped make it a major piece of McDonald’s product branding.

A common mix-up is crediting Ray Kroc, who expanded McDonald’s nationally, with inventing the sandwich. Kroc was central to the company’s growth, but the Big Mac itself originated with Delligatti. The product’s name and visual construction later became familiar symbols of the McDonald’s menu.