McDonald’s Introduces Grand Mac and Mac Jr to Celebrate 50 Years of the Big Mac

This month, McDonald’s signature burger, the Big Mac, turns 50. So today, for the first time, UK McDonald’s restaurants have introduced two new limited-edition sizes of the burger. The Mac Jr. and the Grand Mac will be available until 20 March.

A reminder of the composition of a Big Mac, plus the specifics of the limited edition creations:

• The “birthday burger,” original 50-year-old Big Mac: The famous burger, made from two all-beef patties, the famously inimitable special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, chopped white onions, sandwiched between a three-piece sesame seed bun. £3.09
• New and limited-edition Mac Jr.: Made with exactly the same ingredients (with one less patty and no central bun slice.) £2.29
• New and limited-edition Grand Big Mac: Same again! But bigger. £4.19

The Big Mac was first created in February 1968 by an American McDonald’s franchisee named Jim Delligatti in Pennsylvania, USA. It is said that Delligatti originally wanted to call the burger ‘The Aristocrat.’ Delligatti did not get his way; McDonald’s instead elected the name Big Mac and it stuck.

After achieving success in the USA, the Big Mac arrived in the UK in 1974 when the first UK McDonald’s restaurant opened on Woolwich High Street. The iconic burger is now sold in over 100 countries worldwide.

A nostalgic Steven Howells, head of marketing at McDonald’s UK, said:

“As our most iconic McDonald’s product, we are proud and excited to be celebrating 50 years of the legendary Big Mac. For the first time ever in the UK, we are introducing the two new sizes for a limited time. We know a lot of our customers will remember their first Big Mac, and this campaign will hopefully encourage them to enjoy that unforgettable first bite all over again!”