Big Mac

The Big Mac is a type of hamburger sold since 1968 by the McDonald's chain of fast food restaurants. It was apparently inspired by a similar doubledecker hamburger sold by the Big Boy chain since 1936.

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According to a famous advertising jingle, it consists of "two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun." However, the most distinctive feature is a middle layer of bread that is used to stablize the contents of the hamburger to prevent spillage.

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For a short period of time in the early 1990's, McDonald's offered a "Double Big Mac", with four patties and an extra slice of cheese.

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The Big Mac is known worldwide, and is often used as a symbol of American capitalism. The Economist has used it as a reference point to determine the cost of living in different countries — the Big Mac index — as it is so widely available and the product largely comparable across markets.

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In 2005 McDonald's began offering rewards to hip-hop artists who namechecked the Big Mac in their music, giving $5 US to the artist for every time a song mentioning the hamburger was played on the radio. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4389751.stm This offer quickly spawned a satirical backlash from a group called the Gatbustaz, in the form of the song, "McGangsta". http://customerevangelists.typepad.com/blog/2005/04/mcdonalds_gets_.html

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In addition to being the name of a burger, Big Mac is also the name of a McDonaldland character. Dressed as a constable and sporting a large Big Mac as a head, he was the main source of law and order in McDonaldland, spending most of his time chasing the Hamburglar and Captain Crook. The character was eventually dropped during the streamlining of the 80's and the 90's.

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Having consumed 20,000 Big Macs, Don Gorske is possibly the world's top Big Mac eater.

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In India, the Big Mac is called the Maharaja Mac and is made with chicken instead of beef. There are also variations in other countries, especially to the condiments.

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Hamburger: :...

1968: 1968 was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar)....

McDonald's: McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of fast-food restaurantshttp://biz.yahoo.com/p/eatingmktd.html. Although McDonald's did not invent the hamburger or fast food, its name has become nearly synonymous with both....

Big Mac related Images and Photos (experimental)

Big Mac Inside The McDonalds Empire DVD	Big	Big Boy	Big Ben
Big Sur	Big Red	Big Boy (DVD)	Big Stan
Big Ears	Big City	Big Five	Big Fish