Jim Delligatti created the Big Mac, the McDonald's sandwich first introduced in the Pittsburgh area.
Delligatti was a McDonald's franchisee who wanted to offer a larger sandwich that could compete with other substantial burgers. His design used two beef patties, a middle bun layer, cheese, lettuce, pickles, onions, and a special sauce. McDonald's introduced the sandwich in the Pittsburgh area in 1967 and expanded it nationally the following year.
The Big Mac became a major branding success because customers could recognize it by name and by construction. Its three-part bun and familiar sauce helped separate it from ordinary hamburgers on the menu.
Delligatti is sometimes overlooked because Ray Kroc is more closely associated with McDonald's corporate expansion. Kroc led the company during its rapid growth, but he did not create the Big Mac. The product's origin is credited to Delligatti, a franchise operator in western Pennsylvania.