Grand Mac McDonald’s Review

What is Grand Mac? 

McDonald’s Grand Mac is the oversized son of the Big Mac. I will say this is not something you want to eat while you’re driving – it’s sizeable, and you’ll risk wearing it. But the question I’m here to answer isn’t if you’ll end up wearing a burger. It’s if this blown-up Big Mac is worth your money.

If you don’t know what a Big Mac is (it’s okay, I won’t judge you, but maybe don’t tell other people,) it’s a two-burger, three-bun-eyed monster. It comes with lettuce, onions, a slice of cheese, some pickles, and their special sauce. The sauce, as best anyone can describe, is like mayo mixed with Thousand Island dressing. Though the “real” secret sauce recipe doesn’t include Thousand Island, per se, it’s basically the same. 

Imagine Grand Mac as the forefather of the Big Mac. It’s like taking the Big Mac and making it super-sized, with two beef patties that together weigh a third of a pound, all of it sandwiched between two big sesame seed buns. The Grand Mac stands out because it’s wider than the regular burgers. It’s not tall, it’s wider in size.

History Of The Grand Mac

Most of the Grand Mac’s history can be attributed to the Big Mac, which has a long and surprising history with McDonald’s. It was first created by franchise owner Jim Delligatti, who ran several restaurants in the Pittsburg area back in the late ‘50s. He pitched McDonald’s several times with his burger idea, and each time they turned him down. (Can you imagine how crazy they must feel now?)

Eventually – reportedly on his fifth or sixth pitch – McDonald’s relented and let him sell his burger through his stores in ‘67. Initially, it was released as the Aristocrat – a name that left patrons confused and tongue-tied – and later as the Blue-Ribbon Burger. Both names lacking in a certain je ne sais quoi, no?

Whether you parle Francais or not, most people agreed that the names were duds and it was later rebranded as the Big Mac. After the renaming, the burger took off and was released nationwide in ’68. Though, at the time, McDonald’s wasn’t as nation-spanning as it is now.

Fast-forwarding fifty years later, the Grand Mac was born as the 50th-Anniversary-Editon Big Mac.

Grand Mac Inspiration

If you’re wondering – since I’m sure you are – Delligatti didn’t receive any additional compensation for his creation from the corporation – but he did get a plaque.

To the credit of McDonald’s, Delligatti’s inspiration for the Big Mac was to increase the profits of his franchise. Since people wanted to pay for his creation, I’m sure he managed to increase his profits. This is probably why McDonald’s didn’t give him any additional compensation – he was a part-owner, after all – so his stores doing better did directly offer him more money.

On a similar note, I have few doubts that the Grand Mac was conceived by America’s seemingly insatiable desire for bigger – since that’s basically all that was improved – while capitalizing on McDonald’s profits. Regardless of inspiration, the Grand Mac was initially released in 2017 in the US. In the UK and Europe, it launched in 2018 as a limited-time offer to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Big Mac.

Unfortunately, Delligatti didn’t get to see his creation reimagined on such a massive scale, having passed away nine years earlier at the age of 98.

Types

There aren’t really different types of Grand Macs, but they do have some different types and names in other countries and a few that you can special order:

Big Big Mac: What the Grand Mac is called in Europe.

Grand Big Mac: What it’s called in Sweden.

Denali Mac: Only sold in Alaska, but it’s basically the same thing.

Big Melt: Venezuela’s version of the Big Mac. Instead of a slice of cheese, it comes with a cheese sauce.

The Giga Mac: Sold in Japan, it’s an oversized Grand Mac with three times the meat of a Big Mac. Ooph.

Mega Mac: It’s four patties and an extra slice of cheese. It doesn’t sound like much to me, to be honest, but it’s available in Canada, China, Ireland, Japan, and Malaysia periodically for a limited time. It’s a staple item in Turkey, Singapore, Pakistan, South Korea, Thailand, and the UK.

If you’re in the States and want to try it, you can order a Double Big Mac since it’s basically the same thing. Although this item, too, is in limited portions of the US and you may have to pay for two Big Macs and cobble one together yourself.

Also worth noting is the Big Mac BLT, which comes with bacon and tomato. It was originally released in Australia and New Zealand in 2017. And the Big Mac bacon which is what it sounds like – a Big Mac with bacon – which pops up every so often as an LTO.  But you can order it anywhere, anytime easily enough.

My McDonald’s Grand Mac Review

I had heard so much talk about McDonald’s Grand Mac that I finally decided to give it a try and find out what all the fuss was about. I went for the Grand Mac, loaded with two beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onions. To make it even more exciting, I added a side of crispy fries and a drink.

As I finally got my hands on the Grand Mac, let me tell you, it’s a ridiculously oversized version of the Big Mac. It’s so big that it barely fits in my palm, and I needed both hands to hold it steady.  And the aroma? Well, it was quite delightful.

Size

These burgers are heavy, but they’re not tall.

They’re just really, really, wide and flat. Which means the bun-to-burger ratio leans towards the bun. I get it, tall burgers mean high cooking times. But my biggest issue was that I don’t think they give you any extra toppings for this extra meat. And, as someone who views food as a vessel for condiments (judge me if you want), the lack of extra sauce was a huge issue for me.

Ultimately, the experience boiled down to getting more bun-per-bite than anything else. And I just can’t with all that bread.

It’s not that any one part of this burger was bad, just that proportions felt out of whack. And, yeah, you could ask for extra – but my personal belief is that if I need to modify something, it loses a star. I feel like that’s only fair.

Taste and Flavor

When I took my first bite of the Grand Mac, it had a lot of beef and sauce, and it tasted really good. The beef patties in the Grand Mac are cooked just right – not too hard and not too soft. The beef patties were thin but juicy and tender. It was like having a flavorful meaty bite. This burger has a special sauce that’s sweet, tangy, and creamy. Its taste resembles a kind of Thousand Islands dressing which makes the burger unique and yummy. There was shredded iceberg lettuce which was fresh and crispy, and it mixed well with the special sauce. 

There were pickles and diced onions, and they gave the whole thing a tangy and zesty vibe and a nice kick.

There was also a layer of cheese. Rich and savory, and it made the burger even tastier. 

The burger wasn’t spicy at all. I would say it tasted a bit like salt and pepper. Nice mild flavor, not too strong. 

If you want to make your burger more exciting, try adding extra cheese and sauce, or a layer of bacon.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size –1 burger
• Calories – 860
• Calories From Fat – 470
• Total Fat – 52g
• Saturated Fat – 18.0g
• Trans Fat – 2.0g
• Cholesterol – 140mg
• Sodium – 1470mg
• Total Carbohydrates–62g
• Dietary Fiber – 5g
• Sugars –13g
• Protein – 41g

Is the Grand Mac a Healthy Choice?

If you’re looking for a healthy meal, the Grand Mac might not be your best option. 

It comes in at 860 calories, 470 of which are from fat. It has, on the upside, 41 grams of protein, which is about 82% of your daily value. So, score, I guess? And with the bun, it comes in at 62 grams of carbs or roughly 21%. Without the bun, it’s only 8 grams of carbs.

Additionally, it does contain eggs, wheat, soy, sesame, and milk if you have food allergies. It may or may not encounter other allergens like tree nuts, fish, and shellfish – so it’s still worth checking with staff and erring on the side of caution if those are an issue for you.

Limited Time Offer 

McDonald’s sometimes has the Grand Mac, but it’s not always there. Grand Mac is available for a limited time.  It can vary depending on where you live. To check if they have the Grand Mac at your McDonald’s, just go to their website or call your nearest McDonald’s restaurant. 

Worth the Bite?

I like it but as a friend.

Again, it wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t what I wanted it to be – for the bigger, better version of the Big Mac, or as a burger itself.

I’d say it’s worth it to try at least once. Well, the Grand Mac costs just $8.29, it’s a pretty good deal if you are hungry. The portion size is quite generous, and the flavors are definitely worth the cost. 

But I do see the promise that it has. With extra toppings, thicker patties, bacon, and – of course – extra sauce, I think it would’ve gotten a much higher rating. The extra sauce is important.

What are your thoughts on the Grand Mac? 

Have you had a chance to try it yet? How do you like it compared to other items on the menu? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below – I’d love to hear your perspective.