Jim Delligatti created the Big Mac sandwich, one of McDonald’s best-known branded products.
Delligatti was a McDonald’s franchisee in the Pittsburgh area who developed the sandwich in the 1960s. He wanted a larger burger that could compete with substantial sandwiches sold by rival restaurants. His creation used two beef patties, a middle bun section, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and the sauce later strongly associated with the Big Mac.
The sandwich was first tested locally before being introduced nationally. Its unusual three-part bun and distinctive name made it easy to recognize in advertising and helped turn it into a major part of McDonald’s product identity.
Ray Kroc is often incorrectly credited with inventing the Big Mac because he led McDonald’s corporate expansion. Kroc was not the sandwich’s creator; that credit belongs to franchisee Jim Delligatti.