How McDonald's Big Macs Are Really Made, According To One Worker

Two beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, all served 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, according to Fox News, 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. 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, per Roadside America. There's also something known as the "Big Mac Index," a lighthearted economic tool that gauges the exchange rate between countries by seeing how much a Big Mac costs in each region, per The Economist. Suffice to say, there's a lot of love for this massive burger.

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 a pretty darn hefty 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 complex, and the assembly 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. "Did i just got trained to work in a McDonald's?" said one commenter. "You forgot to shake the box about so everything is all over the place when I open it," joked another. "Idk why but I'm obsessed with learning this lol," another Tiktok user commented on the now-viral video. "I always watch these videos even though I've been working at a McDonald's for almost a year," another commenter wrote.

The Big Mac has undoubtedly earned its place in the fast-food history books. But the iconic sandwich is a common item, something you see everyday. The McRib, on the other hand, is something fans mark their calendars for. This saucy, savory sandwich always stirs up fanfare when rumblings about it returning 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, including Naturally Savvy calling it "Grade F mystery meat" and accusing McRib meat supplier Smithfield Foods of animal cruelty, per the New York Daily News.

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 (via Business Insider). 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.