Around the World in 20 Big Macs: How Much Do They Vary?

If someone said McDonald’s to you, it’s likely the first thing you’ll think of beyond those golden arches, is the Big Mac. The Big Mac was first introduced in 1967 by a McDonald’s franchisee from Pennsylvania in the United States, and within a year it had become a menu staple across the country. As popularity grew and McDonald’s made its presence known across the globe, so too did the Big Mac and it’s now available in over 100 countries. A simple, fuss-free burger, traditionally the Big Mac consists of two beef patties, “special” sauce, cheese, lettuce, pickles and onions, and not forgetting the three-part sesame seed bun. This concept of keeping it simple means that it’s easily translated, though the idea that all Big Macs are the same wherever you are is incorrect. There are a number of factors that affect the make up of a Big Mac; from the location of where the meat is sourced, right down to the religion of the country it’s being sold in. Due to this, we decided to bring together a selection of Big Macs from 20 different countries to see how they stack up against the original US version. To determine the nutritional value of a Big Mac, we have taken into account a number of things such as protein content, calorie count and the amount of fat and salt they contain. Due to the varying ingredients, the cost is also affected so we’ve included that too, just so you can see how wide-ranging the price can be! You’re more than welcome to use our images for your own content, all we ask is that you cite Amica International as the original source.