mental_floss magazine
SUBSCRIBE >
GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS >
DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS >
subscriber services >
McDonald’s best-known burger turns 40 this year. And since professional ethics prevent us from revealing the ingredients of the Special Sauce, we’ll try to make up for that by sharing a few other “secrets” behind those two all-beef patties and their signature accoutrements.
1. The Genius behind the ‘Mac
Back when Michael James “MJ” Delligatti became interested in opening his own restaurant in the mid-1950s, he visited a restaurant show in Chicago. When he happened by the McDonald’s booth, the McRepresentative invited Delligatti to visit a newly opened McDonald’s francise nearby. After doing some research, MJ realized that if he opened a Mickey D’s, the money he’d save on buying paper goods through the company would pay his franchise fee. He opened a McDonald’s in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, in 1957 and did very well. Yet, he felt something was missing from the menu. Parents bought burgers for their youngsters, but MJ believed that a larger, more “adult” sandwich would encourage Mom and Dad to dine along with the kids. Before adding anything to his menu, however, he had to get approval from Headquarters. The Corporate office finally agreed to let him try a new burger with the proviso that he only use ingredients already on hand. He christened his creation the “Big Mac” and sold it for 49 cents. Sales spiked so much that Corporate couldn’t help but notice and add the Big Mac to their national menu in 1968.
2. The Slim Man who Eats Nothing but Big Macs
Those stodgy ol’ spoilsport nutritionists can drone on and on about how dangerous Big Macs are…saturated fat…blah blah…cholesterol…blah blah…heart disease… But we have only to look at Don Gorske of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, for McReassurance. He has been eating at least two Big Macs per day since 1972, and has since consumed over 20,000 of the double-decker burgers. Yet at six feet tall he maintains a weight of about 180 lbs. and an admirable cholesterol count of 140. Gorske admits that he never eats fries, just Big Macs, so perhaps that’s the secret.
3. More Memorable than the Commandments
It was a fated affair: McDonald’s was looking for a new ad agency in 1970, and Keith Reinhard, a creative director at Needham, Harper & Steers, had done his homework. He’d posted himself outside of several different McDonald’s outlets and polled customers as they exited on what they liked best. His research determined that Mom loved not having to cook, and Mickey D’s was quick and affordable (unlike most family-style sit-down restaurants). He came up with the slogan “You deserve a break today” and landed the prestigious McDonald’s account for his company. Not long after that, he coined what seemed like a hopelessly awkward jingle for the Big Mac: “Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun.” However, a clever “man on the street” commercial campaign showing ordinary citizens trying to recite the phrase ingrained the run-on burger description in everyone’s mind and became a classic. A 2007 survey by Kelton Research found that of 1,000 Americans who identified themselves as Christians, 80% could accurately recite the Big Mac ingredients jingle, while only 60% could name all of the Ten Commandments.
4. Big Mac Mania
Big Macs are sold in over 100 countries today, with the United States leading the pack at 550 million consumed annually. Japan is next, followed by Europe (specifically the combination of the U.K., Germany and France) and then Canada. So how much of a commission does MJ Delligatti get from every Big Mac sold? Nada. The Corporate office did issue him a very nice plaque, however.
Shhh…super secret special for blog readers.
Comments (32)
Comment
- Follow mental_floss
McDonald’s was my first job, and I really enjoyed it. And since I have no professional ethics to worry about, the “special sauce” is essentially Russian dressing with minced pickles. We used to get a good laugh every time someone would order a Big Mac without pickles, but with the sauce.
reCaptcha: elevated Fraternity
posted by Amy on 7-8-2008 at 3:57 pm
Whoo! As soon as I saw this title I knew Gorske would be in here…he’s from my hometown and is probably the nearest thing to a celebrity around here.
posted by Troy on 7-8-2008 at 4:28 pm
McDonald’s was my first job as well… butRussian Dressing? That disgustingly sweet red dressing? I think you meant Thousand Island.
reCaptcha: grabbed one
posted by Phin on 7-8-2008 at 5:09 pm
Ick! I moved across the world, and McDonald’s is here too. :-P
posted by Dawn on 7-8-2008 at 6:39 pm
Can you name of all of the big mac ingredients in only 2 minutes? If only you could clic somewhere to take this as a quiz . . . ;)
posted by gmsc on 7-8-2008 at 6:46 pm
Funny how the Big Mac is the same as the sandwich that’s been sold at Big Boy since the early 50’s…..coincidence, I think not.
posted by U huh on 7-8-2008 at 10:29 pm
please …
we need a McD in the Maldives … :(
posted by subcorpus on 7-8-2008 at 10:52 pm
recaptcha: shake then
..don’t mind if I do…
posted by erik on 7-8-2008 at 11:37 pm
the “professional ethics” all of you should be worried about:
-all the rainforest land being destroyed to raise cattle and other farm animals for bigmacs and other food.
-all the animals that are being killed.
-the increase in global warming because of meat consumption.
read a book. it takes 24 vegan meals to equal the amount of energy and nonrenewable resources that ONE 6oz steak takes.
posted by lindsay on 7-9-2008 at 2:04 am
Lindsay, quit being such a twat
posted by Ron on 7-9-2008 at 7:46 am
Mmm…a 6 oz. sirloin does sound pretty delicious! Thanks, lindsay!
posted by kate on 7-9-2008 at 8:43 am
Phin… the red sweet dressing is French dressing…
the secret sauce has not been secret for years… thousand island dressing with diced pickles…
I think I am going to go to McD’s for lunch and have me a big McRainForest Sandwich with a side of McSatan, followed by a nice hot Death to everything descent in the world pie… mmmm
McDonald’s killed Kennedy, MLK and Jesus, all with the same french fry, evil I tell you EVIL!!!! there coming to take me away HA HA
posted by RodneyB on 7-9-2008 at 9:13 am
McDonalds makes me sick when I eat it.. but after reading this I am craving a big mac.. mmm.
posted by hannah on 7-9-2008 at 9:29 am
I may be one of the few adults in the western world who has NEVER eaten a Big Mac or any kind of MacDonald’s food excect once or twice, years ago, an Egg McMuffin. I just can’t stand MacDonald’s food — or pretty much any kind of fast food (I always say, I only eat slow food). If I am going to have a fast food burger (rarely), it will only be In-N-Out. Period. They are okay.
posted by Dolly on 7-9-2008 at 9:45 am
McDonalds Big Mac Special Sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons french dressing
4 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon finely minced white onion
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well.
Place sauce in a covered container and refrigerate for several hours, or overnight, so that the flavors blend. Stir the sauce a couple of times as it chills.
Makes about 3/4 cup.
Tip: Try substituting dehydrated onions rehydrated in warm water in place of the fresh onions.
posted by davey on 7-9-2008 at 11:17 am
That Dan Gorske has the world’s worst hair…
Mutton chops, Ringo Starr mop top, mullet…I think daily Big Mac ingestion causes you to become completely oblivious to your appearance, not only when it comes to waistlines but to hairlines as well. Yikes.
posted by thesharkguys on 7-9-2008 at 11:36 am
I always thought the ’special sauce’ was just ketchup and mayo w/ relish mixed in..looks like I wasn’t far off…
I eat Mickey D’s very rarely, but I do remember buying a meal near the Victoria and Albert museum in London and sharing my fries w/ the local pigeons…they were lots of fun and it was an enjoyable meal…I am always sorry to go to a new far off location, only to be bombarded with McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut and the like…I’d rather eat local, hometown food than stuff I can get down the street in my own home town…
posted by donner on 7-9-2008 at 11:40 am
You know, if he’d have gotten the rights to the Big Mac, maybe he’d own Nemacolin instead of Joe Hardy – oh well, one can only dream.
Funny to think something that well known came from Uniontown…
posted by Sarah on 7-9-2008 at 1:35 pm
Europe is a continent, and the US, Japan and Canada are countries. Why are Germany, France and the UK lumped together?
posted by EternalDarkness117 on 7-9-2008 at 2:33 pm
Thanks Lindsey, I will eat a 16oz sirloin when I get home, and think of how much I hate people who tell me what to eat, what to drive, etc, etc.
posted by Aaron on 7-9-2008 at 4:06 pm
Lindsay, do poor old Mother Earth a favor and stop breathing. Remember, whining about how we should all be vegans takes forty times the oxygen used to eat a baby pig–it’s science, people!!!
posted by Jaffo on 7-9-2008 at 4:15 pm
not that i’m a huge fan of mcd’s or anything but come on dolly…
“I may be one of the few adults in the western world who has NEVER eaten a Big Mac or any kind of MacDonald’s food”
“I just can’t stand MacDonald’s food”
isn’t that a bit of a contradiction?
i may be one of the few adults in the world that’s never seen a baseball game, but i just can’t stand that darned baseball!
posted by ryan on 7-9-2008 at 6:27 pm
This is to davey… Man the black helicopters are just around the corner!!! YOU UNLEASHED THE SECRET OF THE SECRET SAUCE… RUNNNN… AHHHHH
recaptcha: 2d redheads… i hope they’re naturals at least…
posted by kevin on 7-9-2008 at 6:30 pm
The Big Mac used to be a great burger until they stopped using beef in their burgers. The original, the Big Boy, always has been a better tasting burger. Instead of the special sauce they use tartar sauce.
posted by Tim on 7-9-2008 at 8:52 pm
“Lindsay, quit being such a twat
posted by Ron on 7-9-2008 at 7:46 am”
Hahahaha brilliant
posted by Matt on 7-9-2008 at 9:56 pm
McD’s burgers are ok on a limited basis, it’s the fries that’ll get ya. Supersize me had a good experiment where the fries did not decompose for months. I’m not surprised to see the Big Mac guy doesn’t eat the fries. I’m more of a Quarter Pounder fan.
recaptcha : ammunition stick
if I just put “gun” will it still work?
posted by RT on 7-10-2008 at 1:16 am
Dolly, I wish I had your willpower!
Yup, I’m ashamed to say I’ve eaten McDonald’s in other countries…I even had a friend who made it a point to eat at McDonald’s in each country she went to (picture us getting McDonald’s in bohemian Czech Republic). I think it’s just so American that it’s the place to go when you have homesickness. The McDonald’s where I lived in Bitburg, Germany, served Bitburger beer (the locally brewed beer) at their location. The grossest McDonald’s food I’ve seen was in Korea…they had Bulgogi Burgers…yuck! Now that I’m back in the states, I haven’t been to a McDonald’s…too much other good food!
posted by Brandy on 7-10-2008 at 3:25 pm
Brandy: going to different countries and eating McD… does your friend ever wonder why the rest of the world thinks Americans are ignorants?
posted by Zem on 7-11-2008 at 5:13 am
Veagan Meals SUCK! Besides, do your part and eat a cow to open up more land for trees!
posted by Neal on 7-11-2008 at 10:26 am
I was told by those in research at McDonald’s Illinois that they are looking at alternative sources of beef. Apparently we are looking at genetically engineered worms. Supposedly there is a farm complex down in Guatemala where these are grown. These worms grow up to 4 inches diameter and about 15″ in length. Although the taste approximates real beef the texture does not quite feel right.
Take a look at some of the scientific papers published over the last year in some of the more reputable journals.
posted by mexica on 7-11-2008 at 6:30 pm
All of the above said burgers are a great everywhere.Too delicious. In fact i had tried all these…. :)
posted by Food Quiz on 7-11-2008 at 10:14 pm
Yum! big macs all around! I think big macs will be for lunch AND dinner. woohoo! thanks for the secret sauce recipe.
posted by hungry on 7-22-2008 at 10:27 am