Who created the Big Mac, McDonald’s signature burger that debuted nationally in 1968?

Jim Delligatti created the Big Mac, McDonald’s signature burger that debuted nationally in 1968.

Delligatti was a McDonald’s franchisee in the Pittsburgh area. He developed the sandwich with two beef patties, a middle bun, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and the special sauce that became part of its identity. The sandwich first appeared in selected restaurants before being added to the national menu in 1968.

Delligatti is also associated with the sandwich’s early development in western Pennsylvania. Ray Kroc, McDonald’s corporate leader, did not invent the Big Mac, although his role in building the wider company often leads people to credit him.

The name itself has a separate story. McDonald’s secretary Esther Glickstein Rose suggested “Big Mac,” so the creator of the burger and the person associated with its name were not the same individual.