Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun.
These are the ingredients that make up McDonald's legendary Big Mac.
The brainchild of franchisee Jim Delligatti, the double-decker cheeseburger was first sold
at a Pennsylvania McDonald's in 1967, and it remains a classic McDonald's menu staple today.
When we say the Big Mac is popular, we're not just parroting McDonald's talking points, either.
In 2007, it was estimated that the chain sold 550 million Big Macs in the United States alone,
according to a report from USA Today.
"Mondays, I always eat one Big Mac, two on Tuesdays, one on Wednesdays, two on Thursdays,
one or two on Friday, and two every Saturday."
There's even a museum dedicated to the burger in North Huntington, Pennsylvania, where you and your
family can delight in the history of the sandwich over — what else — a Big Mac and some fries.
No matter how you eat it, whether it's alongside some piping hot fries or by itself in all its
glory, there's no denying a Big Mac is an iconic meal. But for all of its fame,
do you really know how this iconic sandwich is assembled? One self-identified McDonald's
employee has shared all the secrets on TikTok, and Big Mac fans are mesmerized by the process.
According to TikTok user @essentialmcdonalds, the process of making a Big Mac is more complex than
you may be expecting, but the assembly still takes place entirely in the box the sandwich comes in.
First, the three buns — the top "crown," the bottom "heel," and the middle "club" — are
toasted in separate toasters. Then, three dollops of Big Mac sauce are added to the
"heel" and "club" parts of the buns using a specialized "condiment gun,"
followed by a sprinkling of chopped onions, shredded lettuce, and thinly-sliced pickles.
All of that is followed by a slice of American cheese. Then, the two beef
patties — the most integral part of the Big Mac — are placed onto the heel and the club.
The most "challenging part," according to the TikTok creator, is that the middle part of the Big
Mac must be lifted onto the bottom part, before the bun is added on top to complete the burger.
Of course, TikTok was "loving it" when they got to
see the inside secrets behind one of McDonalds' most prized items.
One commenter asked,
"Did i just [get] trained to work in a McDonald's?"
Meanwhile, another joked about the missing final step in the process, writing,
"You forgot to shake the box about so everything is all over the place when I open it."
Other TikTok users commented on how they're obsessed with the inside deets on how
McDonald's is made – even people who say they themselves work at other McDonald's locations.
And people aren't just curious about how to make a Big Mac. While The Big Mac has
undoubtedly earned its place in the fast-food history books, the iconic sandwich is also a
common item on the menu. The McRib, on the other hand, is something fans mark their calendars for.
This saucy, savory sandwich always stirs up fanfare when
rumblings about its return start to spread across the internet.
But for as popular as it is, just how exactly is the legendary sandwich made?
There are some pretty nasty rumors about the McRib floating around.
Naturally Savvy calls it, quote, "Grade F mystery meat" and according to the New York Daily News,
the Humane Society has even accused McRib meat supplier Smithfield Foods of animal cruelty.
To dispel some of the rumors about how the fan-favorite sandwich is made,
McDonald's took viewers on a journey inside one of its factories,
showcasing the McRib process from beginning to end.
The process begins with boneless pork shoulder that is ground into rough, pebbly piles of pork.
Salt, dextrose, and preservatives for "locking the flavor inside the meat" are added,
before it is mechanically shaped to resemble the famed McRib patty.
The patty is then flash-frozen before being cooked in McDonald's own specially-made barbecue sauce.
To finish it all off, the freshly cooked patty is added to a toasted bun,
topped with pickles and onions, and then enjoyed fresh off the line.
It may not be the prettiest sight, but McDonald's assures
fans that there's nothing funky going on with the McRib behind the scenes.
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