Celebrate good times come on!

Americans celebrate a national symbol as the Big Mac turns 40
By Rachel Shields
Published: 25 August 2007

It's up there with the dollar bill and the Statue of Liberty as one of the great symbols of American culture, so it seems only fitting that the Big Mac's 40th birthday be marked in style this week, with the opening of its own museum.

Fans of the world-famous burger can now immerse themselves in its history and play Big Mac games at the museum in Pennsylvania, which calls itself "the most tasteful in the world".
The triple-decker sandwich - with its two beef patties, sauce, lettuce, a sesame seed bun, and a distinctive middle layer of bread - was an instant success when it was invented by a McDonald's franchise owner, Jim Delligatti, in 1967.

Quickly becoming the most requested dish on the menu at Mr Delligatti's three restaurants, in less than a year the Big Mac was sold in McDonald's branches all over the US.
Miraculously, the current obesity crisis has done little to dent the popularity of Mr Delligatti's creation, despite becoming the focus of much bad press. The most notable of this was Morgan Spurlock's 2003 documentary Super-Size Me, in which the film-maker existed on nothing but McDonald's meals for 30 days in order to illustrate the damaging effects of fast-food. In recent years the company has attempted to shake off its unhealthy image, introducing low-fat, nutritious options such as salads and fruit alongside the burgers, chips and high-fat drinks for which it is famed. Although these adjustments may have helped the public perception of the company, the chain's healthier options are unlikely to ever rival the popularity of the gut-busting Big Mac, which contains a whopping 540 calories and 29g of fat.

And now at the age of 89, Mr Delligatti is behind the opening of the new museum, which pays tribute to both burger and chef with a 14ft-high Big Mac and a life-size bronze bust of its creator.

Originally on sale for only 45 cents, the Big Mac still retails at only $2.75 (£1.90), its low price encouraging sales of more than 550 million per year in the US alone. The all-American snack is now available in more than 100 countries, with the famously health-conscious Japanese consuming nearly 150 million annually.

This humble sandwich spawned numerous imitators from rival restaurants, and is widely credited with sparking both a global fast-food craze and fondness for jumbo portions.
Indeed, the burger's global presence is such that in 1986 the respected weekly news magazine The Economist introduced the Big Mac Index as a way of comparing the value of foreign currency against the US dollar. The Economist explained that it hoped to "make the exchange-rate theory that bit more digestible", and continues to use the system today.
While the health risks associated with such foods may be well-documented, the Big Mac has become such a pop-culture phenomenon that it has a place in the hearts (and probably the arteries) of most Americans.

A Texan architect, Matt Fajkus, explains: "It's a little bit embarrassing that this is the sort of thing that America is known for, but it is a part of our culture and as such should be celebrated. I grew up with Big Macs, as did almost everyone I know. I'm also glad that after all their efforts at rebranding and launching salad and yoghurt lines, McDonald's is finally proud to admit what they are famous for."

Clearly it was this fondness and sense of national pride that prompted hundreds of Americans to queue around the block for this week's opening of the museum. And the must-have item in the gift shop? A Big Mac Christmas bauble.

Five Mac facts
* With each Big Mac containing 29g of fat, Americans eat an astonishing 17,582 tons of fat from Big Macs each year. That's roughly the weight of more than 40 fully loaded Boeing 747 passenger jets.
* There are about 178 sesame seeds on a Big Mac bun.
* In India, the Maharaja Mac is made with chicken, while in Greece the Greek Mac uses the pitta bread and yoghurt from a traditional "souvlaki" sandwich.
* The Big Mac is not the biggest burger McDonald's sell. The truly ravenous can order a Mega Mac, made with four patties and an extra slice of cheese - but not in England, where it has been deemed too unhealthy.
* Of all the McDonald's burgers, the Big Mac is the hardest to prepare but it's a skill that former employees Sharon Stone, Shania Twain and Pink mastered.