January 2024 marked a significant month in the fast food industry, as several major chains ushered in the new year by introducing exciting menu items. Wendy's introduced a bacon-infused breakfast burrito, while Chick-fil-A expanded its line of Mango Passion beverages. However, the most notable fast food news of January arguably revolved around McDonald's.
On January 24, the fast food giant officially relaunched its Double Big Mac for a limited time. This marked the first opportunity for Americans to savor this massive sandwich in four years, as it was last available in the United States in March 2020.
For those who've been loyal to McDonald's for a while, the traditional Big Mac includes two beef patties, special sauce, pickles, shredded lettuce, chopped onion, and a slice of American cheese, all sandwiched between a three-layered sesame seed bun. The Double Big Mac closely resembles the original, except for featuring two additional beef patties and extra Big Mac sauce.
As a dedicated aficionado of the fast-food realm, I couldn't help but be drawn to the idea of an even larger Big Mac. McDonald's had recently introduced an enhanced iteration of the classic Big Mac, promising gooier cheese, fresher lettuce, and pickles, softer brioche-style buns, and an extra dose of special sauce, among other tweaks. My initial experience with this upgraded burger left me disappointed, as it seemed overloaded with sauce and the beef was disappointingly dry. This led me to wonder: does enlarging the Big Mac truly elevate its appeal, or is the Double Big Mac merely another McDonald's marketing ploy that fails to live up to expectations?
Determined to find answers to these inquiries and more, I embarked on a personal taste test.
DOUBLE BIG MAC (PER SERVING): 780 calories, 48 grams of fat (17 grams saturated fat, 2 grams trans fat), 1390 milligrams of sodium, 42 grams of carbohydrates (2 grams of dietary fiber, 7 grams of sugar), 40 grams of protein.
My trip to the local McDonald's led me to order both a Double Big Mac and an original Big Mac to compare the two. The standard Big Mac came to a price of $6.39, while the Double Big Mac was a bit pricier at $7.99.
In terms of appearance, the initial standout feature was the deep golden-brown bun on both sandwiches. However, it became evident right away that the burgers were somewhat haphazardly assembled, with American cheese, generous portions of Big Mac sauce, and slightly wilted lettuce spilling out from the sides. Handling the burgers necessitated frequent use of napkins to wipe away the drips and mess.
When I lined up both sandwiches side by side, I was surprised to see that they were quite similar in size. As depicted in the accompanying photo, the Double Big Mac (on the left) was only marginally taller than the standard Big Mac (on the right). I decided to weigh them on a scale, revealing that the Double Big Mac tipped the scales at 260 grams, while the Big Mac weighed in at 217 grams. Therefore, there was a noticeable difference in weight between the two, even if their visual appearance suggested otherwise.
REGULAR BIG MAC (PER SERVING): 590 calories, 34 grams of fat (11 grams saturated fat, 1 gram trans fat), 1050 milligrams of sodium, 46 grams of carbohydrates (3 grams of dietary fiber, 9 grams of sugar), 25 grams of protein.
As for the taste, trying the Double Big Mac turned out to be one of the messiest fast-food encounters I've had in recent memory. No matter how hard I tried, there was simply no way to prevent the cheese and condiments, which had accumulated around the edges, from smearing onto my face when I took a bite of the burger. With each subsequent bite, it became increasingly challenging to contain the culinary chaos that resided within those brioche-style buns. Big Mac sauce trickled onto my hands, and bits of lettuce were scattered across my kitchen counter. Keeping the beef patties from protruding out of the bun's rear end was also a constant struggle.
All the mess might have been worth it if the Double Big Mac had been exceptionally delicious, but my review of it is rather lackluster. To begin with, a single slice of cheese proved woefully insufficient for four beef patties. I could barely discern its presence amidst the deluge of other ingredients. The beef patties, unfortunately, remained dry, and this was even more pronounced due to their increased number. The lettuce didn't appear particularly fresh, and there was an excess of the rich, somewhat cloying Big Mac sauce, which overwhelmed my palate.
The sole advantage of the additional beef in the Double Big Mac was that it somewhat mitigated the dominance of the special sauce, especially when compared to the traditional Big Mac. Nevertheless, the beef lacked substantial flavor, rendering it a negligible contributor to the overall taste.
For those who have cherished the classic Big Mac over the years, sampling the Double Big Mac for its novelty factor might hold some appeal. However, from my perspective, it fell far short of expectations and proved to be a major disappointment.