Fast Food Review: Big Mac from McDonald’s
Nostalgia… it’s awesome, right? I’m a huge collector of all things “cool” from when I was a kid. Whether it is an old NES game or the first season of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on DVD, I want it. After seeing Ryan’s review of the Quarter Pounder with Cheese from McDonald’s, I was inspired to review one of my childhood favorites; the one and only Big Mac.
No description is necessary for this bad boy. Just hum the stupid jingle to yourself if you’ve forgotten the contents of this old school masterpiece. “Two all beef patties yada yada…”. But McDonald’s describes the Big Mac like this:
Maybe it’s the double layer of sear-sizzled 100% pure beef mingled with the sauce and melty cheese, the snap of the onion and the tart crunch of pickle. Or maybe it’s just that it’s tall. Either way, you so want one.
There’s about two ounces of beef on the Big Mac, the onions are dehydrated, the main ingredient is bread, there’s only one slice of cheese, and it’s way over-priced, but who cares, it’s delicious. This sandwich, and logic, do not belong together. For the same price spent on McDoubles, you could get seven patties and three and a half slices of cheese. No matter to me, I have a Mac Attack.
You could spend countless hours wondering how such a tiny sandwich is so unhealthy, but that would involve logic. We threw that “logic” out the window, right? The Big Mac is about flavor and nostalgia… and not putting too much thought into what you are ingesting.
Much of the taste in the Big Mac comes from the “special sauce”. What exactly is it you ask?
Soybean oil, pickle relish [diced pickles, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, vinegar, corn syrup, salt, calcium chloride, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate (preservative), spice extractives, polysorbate 80], distilled vinegar, water, egg yolks, high fructose corn syrup, onion powder, mustard seed, salt, spices, propylene glycol alginate, sodium benzoate (preservative), mustard bran, sugar, garlic powder, vegetable protein (hydrolyzed corn, soy and wheat), caramel color, extractives of paprika, soy lecithin, turmeric (color), calcium disodium EDTA (protect flavor).
Sure, I want to hate the Big Mac, I should loathe it. It doesn’t even taste like real food. It has that weird McDonald’s flavor that does not exist in nature. I don’t care though because it feels right, and if it weren’t for the Big Mac, sites like GrubGrade might not be the same at all. That picture at the top of the site might be… a taco. That is not a world any of us should have to suffer through.
Pros: Being able to buy stuff I wanted as a child but had no money for. Nostalgia. Sesame seeds. Secret sauce. Tacos. The 80's
Cons: Logic. I guess the price but then we are using the first "con". Ryan for not liking "sour pickles". The penalty I will have to pay for dissing Ryan.
Taste: 9.50/10
Value: 2.00/10
Grubbing on-the-go: 4.00/10
Price: $3.49
Overall GrubGrade: 8.50/10
More Info: McDonalds.com
Nutrition Facts:
Big Mac
Calories - 540
Total Fat - 29 grams
Saturated Fat - 10 grams
Cholesterol - 75 milligrams
Sodium -1040 milligrams
Carbs - 45 grams
Sugars -9 grams
Dietary Fiber -3 grams
Protein - 25 grams
Categories: Burgers, Reviews
Tags: Big Mac, Big Mac Review, McDonald's, McDonald's Big Mac, McDonald's Big Mac Review
Post Navigation
Brian Wilson of the San Francisco Giants in New Taco Bell XXL Chalupa Ad
Older Post:Return of the XXL Chalupa from Taco Bell
I order mine with extra cheese and no pickles.
Me too. A burger that size needs 2 slices of cheese! And McD’s pickles just gross me out….hot and slimy….
I just think of it as a bread salad one eats out of hand instead of a bowl, garnished with a bit of meat. There, logical at last!
Well, I know what’s for supper tonight!
“It has that weird McDonald’s flavor that does not exist in nature”
More truer words have ever been typed. That sandwich is all about the nostalgia, but damn, it IS good.
I wonder if it would be possible to get QP patties on one instead? And how much that would affect the flavor?
I love Big Macs.
You can. It costs around $0.75 extra? Don’t quote me on that, but I know that it can be done. It’s worth it to try and I plan to sometime.
I like the McDouble with special sauce.
Same here. But I have to tell them to hold the ketchup/mustard or it’s a saucy disaster. Works quite well to make a McGangBang out of it too.
People are always amazed that I’m that I am 37, have probably eaten at McDonald’s a couple times a month or more since I was 5, and have never had a Big Mac. I refuse to allow any condiments on burgers, aside from cheese and occasionally bacon, and there’s no point in ordering a plain Big Mac with the other choices on the menu.
I made it into my twenties before trying one. A coworker couldn’t believe that I had never had one, and deemed it sacrilege. I gave in, and tried one sans the nasty thousand Island/ “secrete sauce”. I put ketchup on it instead, and it wasn’t bad at all. Still not my go to option at McD’s though. I’ll only order one “my way” when they’re on sale.
I wish I still had Techmo Bowl.
10 yard fight was Nintendo’s special sauce!
Old games still exist. Just go on craigslist, get a bundle with a console, controllers and lots of [good] games. Then from there buy games separately in stores that sell old games (way more common than you’d think). Just google “video games *city or metropolitan area you live in here*” and call up the non chain stores and ask if they sell old games.
the good old games you remember haven’t fallen off the face of the earth; relive the good times
Or head over to http://www.rom-world.com/ and download the emulator and rom.
Not the same. You’ll understand if you ever get the systems. Not being some snob, I really think you’d feel the difference.
and yes I use roms in some cases and used them in the past before I had the actual stuff
I hope this comes to my area.
I lolled.
I’m surprised to see that there is no tomato element in the secret sauce. I figured it was identical to a thousand island dressing.
I don’t like Big Macs, but I do get the secret sauce on other things to get that flavor. It goes really well on the Southern Style Chicken.
I remember reading somewhere the concept of taking the middle piece of bun with the sauce stuck to it, folding it in half and then stuffing it with fries! Now your left with a better balanced out sandwich with a fry-pita on the side.
A fry pita!!..LMOA!!
i actually like this sandwich alot! really good
I like it better than the Whopper and I love Burger King. Big Mac’s are really tasty.
I still remember my first… 16 years and 80 pounds later, I still remember. lol
I do not know why but, I still love these things. It really makes no sense.
McDonald’s small patties are 10 per pound, so 3.2 oz pre-cooked weight.
I like the taste of the Big Mac, but I too think McDoubles with Mac sauce are a much better value. I usually get two McDoubles instead of a Big Mac.
A pound is 16 ounces, bro.
times 2 patties
I thought he meant one. My bad. After cooking though, it is closer to two oz than three. There is a lot of fat in those patties.
when I worked at mcdonalds in high school, I would get these with extra pickles once in awhile. last time I ate one it made me sick to my stomach dam crohn’s!
These are delicious. Sadly I can’t eat them As much As I’d like to.
At some point, McDonald’s began to hate themselves:
http://tinyurl.com/3zukn3m
Look at that. The new packaging tries desperately to justify what you’re eating by pointing out its uniqueness (how can something be “so unique”?) and lulling you with a bunch of tasty adjectives. The old one is totally confident – just Big Mac, and McDonald’s, and SCREW YOU if you don’t want it.
I love all the observations about the lack of logic apparent in the Big Mac’s existance. I’ve worked for McDonald’s for a little over 4 years, and the price definately baffles me the most. The entire sandwich, box included, costs around $.48-.50 to produce (at least in my region). A Double Cheeseburger costs $.03-.04 more to make, and we used to sell it for $1. To further confound things, the franchise I work for doesn’t charge for Big Mac sauce, so some people would order a double cheeseburger, on a sesame-seed bun, with Mac sauce for $1. McLogic.
Meh. When I want Mickey Ds I get their Angus burgers. Those things have meat in ’em!
Weird, I don’t like the sauce at all.. mainly because of the relish. But oddly enough, I’ll sub it for tartar sauce.. which has relish in it…
Americans are brainwashed from their earliest years to abide by emotions than rationality or logic.
It IS your “patriotic” duty.
OBEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[…] Food NewsWell, at least at my local McDonald’s, the Mac Snack Wrap has returned. The classic Big Mac sans the 3 slices of bread and a flour tortilla in its stead. Was there really such a high demand […]
[…] By: Ryan Category: DiscussionA good side item can round out a meal just right. What’s a McDonald’s Big Mac without a side of french fries? Or a Famous Dave’s 2-meat combo without the cornbread […]
[…] a Subway Club on white with lettuce, tomato and mayo, and it was awesome. Though unlike the Big Mac, this did not turn into a life long love affair. To me Subway just hasn’t held up over the […]
[…] grams) Sesame seed buns aren’t that much of a draw are they? Or how about we talk about the beloved Big Mac. It’s 7.5 oz (214 grams) and runs well over 3-bucks too. The extra weight comes in the […]
[…] smell of this dish immediately brought a Big Mac to mind, and I mean that in the most fondly nostalgic way. My best guess as to where that came […]
[…] aspirin, several more hours of sleep and then a trip to McDonald’s. Two Double Cheeseburgers (add Mac sauce), a medium fry and a large Coke or two will knock it out. It works for infections, poor […]