PDA

View Full Version : McDonald's Big Mac Turns 40


RJF
08-24-2007, 08:53 AM
McDonald's Big Mac Turns 40
Friday , August 24, 2007

CHICAGO —

Normally, a 40-year-old sandwich would be something to be avoided. Unless you're one of millions who flock to McDonald's each year to chow down on a Big Mac. The triple-decker burger, which helped breed America's super-size culture and restaurants' ever-expanding jumbo meals, is turning 40. For some fast-food junkies, that's cause for celebration.

http://www.foxnews.com/images/305672/1_61_Big_Mac.jpg

"The flavors that come together — it's like heaven in your mouth," said April Kohlhaas, a 31-year-old Chicago resident. "It's just tradition, like American comfort food."

The Big Mac was first introduced in 1967 by Jim Delligatti, a McDonald's franchise owner in Uniontown, Pa. A year later, it became a staple of McDonald's menus nationwide.

To celebrate the burger's anniversary, Delligatti, 89, and his family opened a Big Mac Museum Restaurant this week in North Huntingdon, Pa., full of memorabilia, celebratory exhibits and "the world's largest Big Mac statue."

Indeed, the sandwich has become a veritable pop culture phenomenon, spawning everything from an impossible-to-forget jingle ("Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame-seed bun," anyone?) to a currency-evaluation index created by The Economist.

Along the way, more people in more 100 countries have given in to Big Mac attacks, according to Oak Brook-based McDonald's Corp.

"The Big Mac is certainly one of our most popular sandwiches," said spokeswoman Danya Proud. "There is only one Big Mac and there will only ever be one Big Mac."

McDonald's estimates 550 million Big Macs are sold each year in the U.S. alone. Do the math and that's about 17 per second. Weighing in at nearly a half-pound, with 540 calories and 29 grams of fat each, that's enough to make nutritionists cringe.

"When it was eaten once in a while there wasn't anything wrong with it," said Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition and food studies at New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development. "It was just fast food, something fun once in a while. But then it became everyday fare."

Andrea Hawkins had her first Big Mac in high school and likes the treat so much she started a "Big Mac-aholics" group on the social networking Web site Facebook.

She has put her Big Mac attacks on hiatus while she gets ready for her wedding next month. But that's not stopping her friends from building a cake-like tower of McDonald's hamburgers for her upcoming bachelorette party. At the top, of course — a Big Mac.

"(The) first treat on the way to the honeymoon will be a Big Mac," jokes the 25-year-old from Dayton, Ohio, who prefers hers without cheese.

Love them or hate them, the Big Mac has grown from its humble beginnings to become a cultural unifier, said pop culture expert and author Rachel Weingarten.

"You can live in Beijing or Brooklyn and you can enjoy as your favorite snack a Big Mac attack," she said. "Maybe you didn't grow up watching the same cartoons, maybe you didn't grow up speaking the same language, maybe you grew up next door to each other and never said hello, but you suddenly have a point of reference — this warm, yummy, bad-for-you, sometimes-naughty thing."

cdlong
08-24-2007, 10:54 AM
i was in a McDs lately and saw something like a quad mac (four patties, the name was something weird). i decided against that and got a "crazy hot chicken folder" (i'm not kidding, see location).

that pic looks good, though it may have something to do with the fact that it's late and i'm hammered.

i bet that April Kohlhaas is a fattie.

Farzam
08-24-2007, 11:24 AM
I wonder what kinda specials they'll have to celebrate...

I better get a free sammich!

randyjordan
08-24-2007, 11:33 AM
and their food is still horrible to this day..

axiomatik
08-24-2007, 11:52 AM
blech. should have been aborted.

azndoc
08-24-2007, 01:37 PM
I used to love the Big Mac as a kid and was all I ever got.

I don't even remember the last time I ate one now though.

FinalDrive
08-24-2007, 01:51 PM
Happy birthday Big Mac
I still prefer quarter pounders...

StaticX27
08-24-2007, 02:27 PM
Quarter pounders no longer are

Helghast
08-24-2007, 05:29 PM
Royal with cheese.

McD's still fail.
Will always fail.

Matej
08-24-2007, 05:53 PM
What's with all the McDonald's hate? Their food isn't bad, I feel sorry for them because they've pretty much become the scapegoat for obesity.

JDMS1lv1a
08-24-2007, 06:29 PM
Le Big Mac ,lol. They arent that great

after I saw Super Size Me, it made me stop eatin MickyD's for a while...

then Im like screw it, I'll go for a sundae:coolugh:

SimpleS14
08-24-2007, 06:51 PM
hmm....can't remember the last time I had one...I might get one out of curiousity. Five Guys burgers are the only fast food burgers I can stomach nowadays.

SexPanda
08-24-2007, 07:22 PM
40 years old huh?

That sandwich has outlived many of its "biggest" fans.

DisEpyon
08-24-2007, 07:38 PM
What's with all the McDonald's hate? Their food isn't bad, I feel sorry for them because they've pretty much become the scapegoat for obesity.

I agree with him, There food doesnt taste bad, its when people make it an addiction like drugs is bad, but eating it every so often is fine. imo

I sometimes treat myself to mcdonalds every so often.

SexPanda
08-24-2007, 07:47 PM
What's with all the McDonald's hate? Their food isn't bad, I feel sorry for them because they've pretty much become the scapegoat for obesity.

I blame Bush. He also caused hurricane Katrina, and hates black people. Lmfao I heard someone say that earlier this week. He CAUSED Katrina.

Honestly though, its not McD's. Sure its not healthy, but how about you get up off your lazy ass, put down that Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese and go walk somewhere. And they're actually TAKING AWAY recess and PE classes for the little kids? If america has such a problem, they why dont we start acting?
And parents need to stop taking their kids out every night, and letting them watch TV and play video games all day.

The next generation of Americans is going to be fat, lazy, selfish and stupid... Even more than right now.

Antihero983
08-24-2007, 10:37 PM
40 years old huh?

That sandwich has outlived many of its "biggest" fans.

LOL NICE! :bowrofl:


Honestly though, its not McD's. Sure its not healthy, but how about you get up off your lazy ass, put down that Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese and go walk somewhere. And they're actually TAKING AWAY recess and PE classes for the little kids? If america has such a problem, they why dont we start acting?
And parents need to stop taking their kids out every night, and letting them watch TV and play video games all day.

The next generation of Americans is going to be fat, lazy, selfish and stupid... Even more than right now.

i agree.

but don't forget, its all that heavy metal and marilyn manson that causes everything lol

speedgod^s13
08-25-2007, 04:51 AM
It's not Mcdonald's that makes you fat. It's YOU that makes you fat. Put down the burger, take a walk, and save a life. I can't stand those obese people, that eat till they sleep, and then go on a show, crying about how fat they are. :loco: Back on topic though, I used to like the Big Mac, when it was actually BIG I swear they use the cheeseburger patties up in there.

cdlong
08-25-2007, 06:40 AM
they never used the quarter pounder pattie, it was always smaller.

smokins14
08-25-2007, 08:00 AM
fat people man...

2ilvia
08-25-2007, 09:44 PM
I swear they use the cheeseburger patties up in there.

yep, i used to work there

heres a breakdown of the "meat"

1% is 100% beef
99% is earthworms, cardboard, greasy rats, poo, etc...

enjoi :bigok:

spg240sx
08-26-2007, 01:14 PM
helping the world become obese for 40 years

JDMS1lv1a
08-26-2007, 01:44 PM
helping the world become obese for 40 years

people have the choice to either eat healthy or eat like 5 Big Macs a day

its all about makin a good decision.

If you want to get fat,then eat 5 Big Macs a day,or eat healthy and not get obese

they have a choice

axiomatik
08-27-2007, 07:58 AM
I don't hate mcdonaold's. once every few months I'll get a quarter pounder. but the big mac has always grossed me out.

SiI40sx
08-27-2007, 05:55 PM
yep, i used to work there

heres a breakdown of the "meat"

1% is 100% beef
99% is earthworms, cardboard, greasy rats, poo, etc...

enjoi :bigok:

I was just about to bitch and moan because that stupid picture made me want one after work instead of cooking some bomb soup Ive been wanting all weekend. But that quote definately changed my mind about getting one. Now Im just werided out because I lost my interest in cooking AND the bigmac, and now Im unsure about what I want to eat.

DUFFM4N
08-27-2007, 06:41 PM
big mac statue...pictured here is the inventor of the big mac, Jim Delligatti

14ft (high) x 12ft (diameter)

http://i.usatoday.net/news/_photos/2007/08/24/macx-large.jpg

codyace
08-28-2007, 09:09 AM
helping the world become obese for 40 years

What about lack of excercise in public school
What about lack of proper eating technique
What about the influx of technology making people lazier than ever
What about the introduction of trans fats, and similar 'fake foods'
What about the inability of parents to tell kids NO when it comes to crap food
What about lack of excercise amongst americans as a whole?
What about etc etc etc


THe Big Mac isn't the problem, AND never has been the problem....

PBucch
08-28-2007, 10:37 AM
I used to love the Big Mac as a kid and was all I ever got.

I don't even remember the last time I ate one now though.


same here, what a shame really, I need to get back on my big mac's, mmmm. My buddy's dad married this woman who owns one of the franchises, I should see if I can get some secret sauce for my house.

edit- word up Cody.