Big N' Tasty

Big N' Tasty is a hamburger product brand developed and sold by McDonald's. It belongs to a long-running line of McDonald's sandwiches intended to compete with Burger King's Whopper, but it differs from the smaller standard hamburger and cheeseburger range through its larger patty, expanded toppings, and more substantial bun. The American configuration consists of a seasoned quarter-pound beef patty weighing approximately 4 ounces, or 110 grams, served on a sesame-seed bun with ketchup, mayonnaise, slivered onions, two dill-pickle slices, leaf lettuce, and one tomato slice. The product was first tested in California in 1997. At the same time, McDonald's tested another large hamburger, the Big Xtra, in the northeastern United States under the temporary market-test name MBX. The Big N' Tasty was subsequently selected for national rollout in the United States, replacing the Big Xtra. Its national introduction took place in 2000 and was coordinated with the opening of Disney's California Adventure, giving McDonald's a high-profile promotional setting for the launch. The sandwich became one of the more visible products on McDonald's Dollar Menu between 2002 and 2003. McDonald's removed it from the Dollar Menu on February 1, 2003, replacing its position with the Double Cheeseburger. The product remained on the regular United States menu for several more years, but McDonald's removed it from standard U.S. restaurant menus on January 1, 2011. It continued to be offered at some McDonald's restaurants located on United States Army and Navy bases, including the restaurant at the U.S. Naval Base in Yokosuka. Outside the United States, McDonald's developed a related product generally known as the Big Tasty, without the apostrophe and letter N in the name. Although the name and formulation vary by market, the international version is commonly built around a larger one-third-pound beef patty, a five-inch sesame-seed bun, square-cut lettuce, two tomato slices, sliced onions, three slices of Emmental cheese, and a smoky Big Tasty sauce. A Big Tasty Bacon variant adds streaky bacon and has been sold internationally rather than in the United States. The Big Tasty name has appeared in European, South American, Middle Eastern, African, and Taiwanese markets, with availability often changing according to local menus and promotional schedules. International market history has been uneven. The product was tested under another name in a limited number of Swedish restaurants in 2003 before receiving a national Swedish launch later that year. In the United Kingdom, the Big Tasty was introduced in December 2003, removed during a menu simplification in August 2005, and subsequently brought back as a limited-time offer. It returned during several later seasonal promotions, sometimes with bacon or barbecue sauce options. It has also appeared in markets including Latvia, Norway, Greece, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the Philippines, though its availability has changed over time. Big N' Tasty advertising has used both product-focused and celebrity-led campaigns. Its United States national launch was supported by a campaign featuring basketball player Kobe Bryant. Later advertising placed the sandwich on the Dollar Menu alongside the Spicy McChicken, including commercials featuring Cedric the Entertainer, Grimace, and the Hamburglar. Another commercial featured Donald Trump with Grimace. In the Philippines, a modified version of the song "Mr. Sandman" was used in a television advertisement. The product's broader brand identity has centered on size, satiety, and a direct competitive relationship with the Whopper.

Big N' Tasty emerged from McDonald's continuing effort to create a large hamburger that could compete directly with Burger King's Whopper. The immediate predecessors in this competitive sequence included the McDLT, introduced in 1984, whose unusual packaging separated hot and cool ingredients; the lower-fat McLean Deluxe, introduced in 1991; and the Arch Deluxe, introduced as an adult-oriented premium hamburger. Each product attempted to give McDonald's a stronger offering in the larger or more differentiated hamburger segment, but the McLean Deluxe and Arch Deluxe were eventually discontinued. McDonald's began testing the Big N' Tasty in California in 1997. During the same period, the company tested the Big Xtra in the northeastern United States under the name MBX. The two products represented alternative approaches to the same strategic problem: providing a larger, more filling hamburger than McDonald's core menu products. Big N' Tasty was ultimately chosen for national U.S. distribution, replacing the Big Xtra. Its nationwide launch occurred in 2000 and was linked to the opening of Disney's California Adventure. The United States product used a seasoned quarter-pound beef patty with ketchup, mayonnaise, onions, pickles, lettuce, and tomato on a sesame-seed bun. From 2002 through 2003 it was promoted as a major Dollar Menu item. McDonald's removed it from that value platform on February 1, 2003, when the Double Cheeseburger took its place. The burger nevertheless remained a standard menu item in the United States until January 1, 2011, when it was discontinued at ordinary U.S. restaurants. Some restaurants on U.S. military installations continued to offer it afterward. Internationally, the related Big Tasty became more durable than the U.S. Big N' Tasty. The name generally omitted the apostrophe and the letter N, and the recipe was adapted for local markets. The international configuration typically used a one-third-pound patty, a larger bun, Emmental cheese, vegetables, and a smoky Big Tasty sauce. Bacon and barbecue-sauce versions were also introduced in certain markets. The sandwich was tested in Sweden in 2003, launched there nationally later that year, and introduced in the United Kingdom in December 2003. In Britain it was later withdrawn and repeatedly returned as a limited-time promotional product. Availability also varied across other European, Middle Eastern, African, South American, and Asian markets. Advertising was an important part of the product's identity. The 2001 U.S. national introduction featured NBA player Kobe Bryant. Subsequent commercials used Cedric the Entertainer, Donald Trump, Grimace, and the Hamburglar, while Philippine advertising used a modified version of "Mr. Sandman." Across markets, the product was presented as a filling, oversized McDonald's burger whose competitive reference point was the Whopper.

• 2011

  Standard U.S. discontinuation

  [1]Big N' Tastyen.wikipedia.org

  The Big N' Tasty is removed from standard U.S. McDonald's menus, with limited continued availability at some military-base restaurants.

• 2003

  Removal from the Dollar Menu

  [1]Big N' Tastyen.wikipedia.org

  McDonald's removes the Big N' Tasty from the Dollar Menu on February 1 and replaces it with the Double Cheeseburger.

• 2003

  International Big Tasty launches

  [1]Big N' Tastyen.wikipedia.org

  The related Big Tasty is tested and then launched in Sweden and introduced in the United Kingdom.

• 2002

  Dollar Menu promotion

  [1]Big N' Tastyen.wikipedia.org

  The sandwich becomes a flagship product on McDonald's Dollar Menu.

• 2001

  Kobe Bryant launch advertising

  [1]Big N' Tastyen.wikipedia.org

  The national introduction is supported by an advertising campaign featuring basketball player Kobe Bryant.

• 2000

  National U.S. rollout

  [1]Big N' Tastyen.wikipedia.org

  The Big N' Tasty replaces the Big Xtra in the United States and receives a national launch associated with Disney's California Adventure opening.

• 1997

  California market test

  [1]Big N' Tastyen.wikipedia.org

  McDonald's tests the Big N' Tasty in California while also evaluating the Big Xtra in the northeastern United States.

A larger, more substantial McDonald's hamburger positioned as a competitor to Burger King's Whopper, with regional versions emphasizing a larger beef patty, fresh vegetables, cheese, smoky sauce, or bacon.

• Hamburger · 1997

  Big N' Tasty

  The U.S. version uses a seasoned quarter-pound beef patty on a sesame-seed bun with ketchup, mayonnaise, slivered onions, two dill-pickle slices, leaf lettuce, and one tomato slice. It was created as a larger McDonald's hamburger and positioned directly against Burger King's Whopper. Standard U.S. restaurant availability ended in 2011, although some military-base locations continued to serve it.

• International hamburger · 2003

  Big Tasty

  The international counterpart generally uses a one-third-pound beef patty, a five-inch sesame-seed bun, square-cut lettuce, two tomato slices, sliced onions, three slices of Emmental cheese, and a smoky Big Tasty sauce. Recipes and availability vary by country, and the product has often been used as a seasonal or promotional menu item.

• Bacon hamburger

  Big Tasty Bacon

  An international variation of the Big Tasty that adds strips of streaky bacon to the larger beef patty, cheese, vegetables, bun, and Big Tasty sauce configuration. It has been sold outside the United States in selected markets.

• Sauce variation

  Big Tasty BBQ

  A regional promotional variation using barbecue sauce in place of, or alongside, the standard Big Tasty sauce. It has appeared in selected international markets, including the United Kingdom.

• 2003Big Tasty British launch campaign

  United Kingdom

  The United Kingdom launch used advertising that presented the Big Tasty as a product available to British customers while playfully contrasting its availability with the United States.

  Outcome. The product later returned to the British menu through limited-time promotions.

  Source
• 2002Dollar Menu campaign with Cedric the Entertainer

  United States

  Cedric the Entertainer promoted the Big N' Tasty and Spicy McChicken as Dollar Menu items, with Grimace and the Hamburglar appearing in the commercial.

  Outcome. The product received prominent value-menu exposure.

  Source
• 2002Donald Trump and Grimace commercial

  United States

  A separate U.S. commercial featured Donald Trump alongside Grimace in advertising for the Big N' Tasty.

  Source
• 2001Kobe Bryant national introduction campaign

  United States

  McDonald's used NBA player Kobe Bryant in advertising supporting the Big N' Tasty's national U.S. introduction.

  Outcome. The campaign accompanied the national rollout of the product.

  Source
• Mr. Sandman Philippine television advertisement

  Philippines

  A Philippine television advertisement used a version of the song "Mr. Sandman" with modified lyrics to promote the Big N' Tasty.

  Source

• 2011

  Discontinuation from standard U.S. menusStrategy

  Background

  McDonald's continued to revise its U.S. menu and removed the Big N' Tasty after its period as a national product.

  Action taken

  The company discontinued the sandwich at standard U.S. restaurants on January 1, 2011.

  Aftermath

  Some U.S. Army and Navy base restaurants continued offering the product, while related Big Tasty versions remained available in selected international markets.

  Source

• 2003

  Removal from the Dollar MenuPrice change

  Background

  McDonald's adjusted the composition of its Dollar Menu after using the Big N' Tasty as one of its flagship value items.

  Action taken

  On February 1, 2003, McDonald's removed the Big N' Tasty from the Dollar Menu and assigned the position to the Double Cheeseburger.

  Aftermath

  The Big N' Tasty remained available outside the Dollar Menu for several years.

  Source

• 2003

  International adaptation as Big TastyProduct launch

  Background

  McDonald's adapted the large-burger concept for markets outside the United States, where local menus and ingredients differed from the American formulation.

  Action taken

  The company introduced the Big Tasty name and an international recipe using a larger patty, Emmental cheese, smoky sauce, and different vegetable proportions.

  Aftermath

  The product became a recurring market-dependent offering across parts of Europe, South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

  Source

• 2000

  National rollout of the Big N' TastyProduct launch

  Background

  McDonald's sought a large hamburger capable of competing with Burger King's Whopper after earlier products such as the McLean Deluxe and Arch Deluxe failed to establish a durable position.

  Action taken

  The company selected the Big N' Tasty over the simultaneously tested Big Xtra and introduced it throughout the United States.

  Aftermath

  The Big N' Tasty became a national menu product and later received prominent Dollar Menu placement.

  Source

1. 1Big N' Tastyen.wikipedia.org