Guide Note

McDonald's signature hamburger, the Big Mac, consists of "two 100% beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun."

One Big Mac has 540 calories, 10 grams of saturated fat and 1040 milligrams of sodium.

Fast Facts

1. Original Price: 49 cents
2. Current Price: $3.29
3. Created in 1968
4. Invented by Jim Delligatti
5. Burger name invented by Esther Glickstein Rose
6. Original Names: Aristrocrat, Blue Ribbon Burger
7. Original "Two All Beef Patties..." slogan coined in 1975
8. Sauce is now listed as "Big Mac Sauce"
9. In France: Le Big Mac

Over forty years after the sandwich's creation, there is still significant debate about the ingredients of the Big Mac secret sauce. Wikipedia lists the sauce as "a thousand island dressing variant."

Food blog Slashfood, however, references the book Fast Food Fix, which claims the sauce consists of mostly mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, sugar, with a little pickle relish and chopped onions added.

Contradicting both of these recipes is the "McMenu," the handbook supposedly given to employees. This recipe lists the major ingredients as Kraft Miracle Whip, mayonnaise and French salad dressing.