UK is kickstarting a year of Global celebrations for Big Mac 50th Birthday

Celebrities challenged to perform the tongue–twisting ingredients list

“Two all–beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun!”

To celebrate 50 years of the iconic McDonald’s burger and bring the famous tongue–twisting list of ingredients back to life, a group of the UK’s biggest musicians and TV stars competed in the ultimate ‘Big Mac® battle’.

The 50th birthday celebrity ‘battle’ saw Made in Chelsea’s Oliver Proudlock face Love Island’s Chris Hughes and ex–Towie favourite Joey Essex, and Big Narstie and Lady Leshurr battle it out, each trying to rhyme off the list of ingredients, from the 1974 Big Mac advert, as quickly and creatively as possible.

The rivalling groups competed under the pressure of a camera, in a boxing ring in East London. Whether showing off their vocal talents, putting their own spin on the tongue–twister, or simply trying to complete it in the fastest time – the celebrities gave it their all. And the winners? Well that is up for debate!

The 60–second video of the ‘Big Mac® battles’, inspired by the 1974 Big Mac advert. Fans of the Big Mac can get involved in the birthday celebrations on social media using #BigMac50, to show off their lyricist and vocal skills.

Following wide–spread customer demand and a huge success in the States, the Mac Jr.™ and the Grand Big Mac™ will bring burger–fans the same delicious Big Mac® taste they know and love – the only difference is the size.  Arriving in all UK McDonalds restaurants 50 years after the creation of the original Big Mac®, for a limited period only, the tasty trio will include:

• The birthday burger, the ORIGINAL 50–year–old Big Mac®: The treasured and famous burger, made from TWO all–beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, sandwiched between a three–piece sesame seed bun (RRP: £4.09 – burger only)

• New and limited–edition Mac Jr.™: Made with the all same iconic ingredients (with one less patty), the Mac Jr.™ is smaller than a Big Mac®, but still packs a pickle. (RRP: £2.29 – burger only)

• New and limited–edition Grand Big Mac™: With the same Big Mac® much loved ingredients, the Grand Big Mac™ offers the one–of–a–kind taste you love in a larger size. (RRP: £4.19 – burger only)

An established classic in the McDonald’s family, the Big Mac® was first created in February 1968 by an American McDonald’s franchisee named Jim Delligatti in Pennsylvania, USA.  Delligatti originally wanted to call the burger ‘The Aristocrat’, however after consideration McDonald’s chose to go with the now famous name, Big Mac®.

Best known for its special (and for a long time, secret) sauce, which took Delligetti two years to perfect, the Big Mac® became famous for its one–of–a–kind taste. The famous combination of two all–beef patties, pickles, lettuce, onions, cheese and special sauce, sandwiched and separated by a triple–decker sesame seed bun ensured the burger became an instant classic.

Following great success in the USA, the Big Mac® arrived in the UK in 1974 when the first UK restaurant opened on Woolwich High Street. Once customers tasted it, McDonald’s (and the Big Mac® fans) never looked back and it is now sold in over 100 countries worldwide and one of the most–loved and most iconic burgers in the world.

Steven Howells, Head of Marketing at McDonald’s UK said: “As an iconic McDonald’s product, we are proud and excited to be celebrating 50 years of the legendary Big Mac® and for the first time ever in the UK, introducing the two new sizes for a limited time. We know a lot of our customers will remember the 1974 launch of the Big Mac in the UK and have continued to enjoy the burger and pass the Big Mac® love on since then, it remains our most iconic burger!”