McDonald's Introducing Variation Of Pittsburgh-Born Big Mac

PITTSBURGH, PA — The Pittsburgh area that gave birth to the Big Mac in 1967 will have a chance to experience a variation of it beginning Thursday: a chicken version of the legendary burger that will only be available for a limited time.

The sandwich will have the same familiar toppings as the Big Mac, but with two tempura-battered chicken patties in place of the two all-beef patties. The special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions and sesame seed bun will remain the same.

"With the introduction of the Chicken Big Mac, we're excited to pay homage to one of our most iconic menu items, the Big Mac, and introduce it to a whole new generation of fans," Tariq Hassan, chief marketing and customer experience officer at McDonald's USA, said in a news release.

McDonald's franchisee Jim Delligatti invented the Big Mac while experimenting in the kitchen of his McDonald’s on McKnight Road in Ross. A short time later, he began selling the burgers in his restaurant in Uniontown, Fayette County. They proved to be so popular that McDonald's began selling them nationally in 1968.

Past estimates have placed the number of Big Macs sold annually at 550 million, just in America alone.