Big N' Tasty
4920966
225816824
2008-07-15T15:21:38Z
203.158.62.199
/* Variants */
{{Foodbox
| name = McDonald's Big N' Tasty
| image =
| serving_size = 1 sandwich (206g)
| calories = 460 (23% [[USRDA]])
| calories_from_fat = 220
| total_fat = 24 g (37%)
| saturated_fat = 8 g (42%)
| trans_fat = 1.5 g
| cholesterol = 70 mg (23%)
| sodium = 790 mg (33%)
| total_carbohydrates = 31 g (14%)
| dietary_fiber = 3 g (13%)
| sugars = 9 g
| protein = 24 g (43%)
| vitamin_a = 120 IU (8%)
| vitamin_c = 7 mg (8%)
| calcium = 150 mg (15%)
| iron = 2 mg (25%)
| source = [http://www.mcdonalds.com McDonald's]
| notes = May vary outside US market. USRDA based on 2000 calorie (8,370 kJ) diet.
}}
The '''Big N’ Tasty''' is one of the sandwiches sold by the international [[fast food]] [[chain store|chain]] [[McDonald's]]. It is designed to compete with the [[Burger King]] [[Whopper]] sandwich.<ref name=ap>{{cite web |url=http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/070297/fea_whopper.html |title=McDonald's hoping new burger a Whopper stopper |author=AP Newswire |publisher=[[The Augusta Chronicle]] |date=1997-07-02 |accessdate=2007-10-23}}</ref> A similar variation called the '''Big Tasty''', without the center ''N'', is sold in parts of [[Europe]], [[South America]] and [[the Middle East]].
==Product description==
The Big N' Tasty is a [[hamburger]], consisting of a quarter-pound, or {{convert|4|oz|g}}, beef patty, sesame seed bun, lettuce, tomato slice, mayonnaise, ketchup, chopped onions, two pickle slices, and grill seasoning. Cheese can be added on request.
The Big Tasty configuration is somewhat different, consisting of a third-pound beef patty, 5-inch sesame seed bun, square-cut lettuce, two tomato slices, Big Tasty sauce (which has a smoke flavor), sliced onions and three slices of [[Emmental cheese]].
===Variants===
;Regional variants
* McOz - Beetroot, lettuce, tomato, onion, [[Cheddar cheese]], ketchup and mustard.<br/>Was available in [[Australia]], now discontinued and replaced with McFeast Deluxe which omitted the beetroot and added mayonnaise and pickles.
* Big Tasty - As above<br/>In [[Argentina]], [[Austria]], [[Brazil]], [[Bulgaria]], [[Chile]], [[Costa Rica]], [[Denmark]], [[Ecuador]], [[Egypt]], Finland, [[Germany]], [[Greece]], [[Italy]], [[the Middle East]], [[Mexico]], [[the Netherlands]] (until the introduction of the Big Tasty Bacon in 2006), [[Norway]], [[Czech Republic]], [[Panama]], [[Portugal]], [[Puerto Rico]], [[Romania]], [[Slovakia]], [[Sweden]], [[Switzerland]] and [[Venezuela]].
* In [[South Korea]], presumably to cater to locals' preference of spicy food, the Big Tasty ("빅테이스티 버거") contains a hot "chili salsa sauce" (칠리 살사 소스), and therefore tastes quite different.
* Big Tasty Bacon - three strips of bacon are added.<br/>Available in [[the Netherlands]],[[Czech Republic]], [[Poland]], [[Slovakia]], [[Germany]], [[Austria]] and in [[Sweden]].
* Chicken Tasty - Made with a chicken fillet, without the smoke-flavored sauce.<br/>Available in Sweden.
* In [[Spain]] is called ''McRoyal Deluxe'' or ''McRoyal Bacon Deluxe'' if served with bacon.
;Discontinued and prceding variants -
* Big Xtra - The Big Xtra included similar ingredients as the current Big N' Tasty. The sauce was a tomato flavored mayonnaise instead of separate ketchup and mayonnaise plus a special grill seasoning only used on the Big Xtra. The patty was a larger three-eighths pound, or {{convert|6|oz|g}}, beef patty verses the quarter pound, or {{convert|4|oz|g}}, patty found in the Big N' Tasty. This sandwich is still sold in Canada.
* McDLT - The McDLT (McDonald's Lettuce and Tomato) included the same ingredients as the current Big N' Tasty.
{{see also|Quarter Pounder}}
==History==
The Big N' Tasty is the latest in a series of sandwiches that were designed to compete against the Whopper sandwich from Burger King.<ref name=ap/> The first sandwich in this line of products was the McDLT sandwich. The McDLT was sold in a novel form of packaging where the meat and bottom half of the bun was prepared separately from the lettuce, tomato, American cheese, pickles, sauces, and top half of the bun and both were then packaged into a specially designed two-sided container.<ref>{{cite patent|US|4653685}}</ref> The consumer was then expected to finalize preparation of the sandwich by combining the hot and cool sides just prior to eating. The company discontinued the sandwich in 1990 to appear more environmentally friendly as it moved away from [[polystyrene]] packaging which was integral to the McDLT "experience".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE5D9173AF931A35752C1A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all |title= Packaging and Public Image: McDonald's Fills a Big Order |author=John Holusha |publisher=[[the New York Times]] |date=[[1990-11-02]] |accessdate=2008-05-29 |quote=...the fast-food chain changed course, announcing yesterday that it would do away with its plastic foam "clamshell" hamburger box and switch to paper packaging.}}</ref>
The McDLT was eventually succeeded by the [[McLean Deluxe]] in 1991. The McLean deluxe was a lower fat sandwich that included [[carrageenan]] to replace the beef fat in the patty and a low calorie mayonnaise.<ref name=nyt-mclean>{{cite web |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9D0CE7DD1430F93AA25750C0A967958260 |title= Fast Food Lightens Up But Sales Are Often Thin |author=Anthony Ramírez |publisher=The New York Times |date=[[1991-03-19]] |accessdate=2007-10-06 |quote=For its McLean Deluxe, McDonald's uses carrageenan, a seaweed extract, to bind water to lean beef to moisten what would otherwise be a dry patty.}}</ref> While the sandwich tested well, it failed to catch on after the national roll-out and was discontinued in 1994 in favor of the new [[Arch Deluxe]],<ref name=nyt-mclean/> a adult oriented sandwich that featured a higher quality roll and a [[dijon mustard]] based mayonnaise. This sandwich was also unsuccessful and was discontinued in 1996.<ref name="memo">{{cite web |url=http://www.mondaymemo.net/030317feature.htm |title=McDonald's: When the Passion is Gone, the Profits are Over |author=Wally Bach |publisher=MondayMemo.com |date=[[2003-03-17]] |accessdate=2007-10-06}}</ref>
The Big N' Tasty was introduced in 1997 and was originally tested in the [[California]] market, while the Big Xtra was test marketed in the [[Northeastern United States]] as the MBX;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spcnetwork.com/mii/1997/970871.HTM |title=Burger King Taking on Big Mac |publisher=Meat Industry News Service |date=[[1997-08-28]] |accessdate=2008-05-26 |quote="In fact, it's even been dubbed as a potential 'Whopper Stopper'," restaurant consultant Dennis Lombardi of Technomic said of McDonald's "Big 'n Tasty," which is being tested in California.}}</ref><ref name=nyt-xtra1>{{cite web |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9404E7D61731F93AA15751C1A961958260&scp=1&sq=McDonald%27s+Big+Xtra&st=nyt |title=McDonald's Is Testing Another Big Burger |author= |publisher=[[the New York Times]] |date=[[1997-12-29]] |accessdate=2008-05-29 |quote=The company introduced the Big Xtra, a 4.5-ounce beef patty on a large sesame-seed bun, Friday in southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Kent and New Castle counties of Delaware.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C00E1D9113DF93AA25757C0A96E958260&scp=2&sq=McDonald%27s+Big+Xtra&st=nyt |title=Steal This Burger |author=Arthur Lubow |publisher=[[the New York Times]] |date=[[1998-04-19]] |accessdate=2008-05-29 |quote=At the end of last year, McDonald's began regional tests of a new lettuce-and-tomato burger, the McDonald's Big Xtra or MBX.}}</ref> during the simultaneous testing phase, either one could be sold depending upon the test market.<ref name=xtra/> The Big N' Tasty sandwich was phased in nationally 2000, displacing the Big Xtra in the United States.<ref name=xtra>{{cite web |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_43_34/ai_66709516 |title=McD's to test 'Diner,' kiosk; Big Xtra being axed |author=The [[Gale Group]] |publisher=Nation's Restaurant News |date=[[2000-10-23]] |accessdate=2008-05-26 |quote=...the chain said it would replace the Big Xtra burger nationwide in January with a faster-selling quarter-pound burger called Big N' Tasty, now sold at more than 2,000 units.}}</ref> The Big Xtra became the basis for the Big Tasty sandwich in some international markets markets.
===Advertising===
* The McDLT's marketing focused on variations of the theme "Keep the hot side hot, and the cool side cool." A [[1985]] commercial released to market the new sandwich featured a young [[Jason Alexander]].
* The 2001 national introduction of the sandwich featured a campaign that starred [[NBA]] player [[Kobe Bryant]].
* Due to its bigger patty, the Big Xtra was advertised as being larger than a [[Whopper]].
===International===
The Big Tasty was first test marketed under a different name in a limited number of McDonald's restaurants in Sweden during the summer of 2003, followed by a national release during the autumn with the current name. In the UK, the '''Big Tasty''' launched in December 2003 with the advertising slogan "Sorry Yanks, this one's for us". It was phased out of all restaurants in August 2005 as part of the menu clear up that made way for the launch of the Deli Sandwiches. It was re-introduced to the UK menu as part of the LTO program in the Autumn 2006. It was again introduced to the menu in the summer 2007.
==See also==
* [[McDonald's products]]
* [[Whopper]], a similar product
==References==
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{{McDonald's}}
[[Category:McDonald's foods]]
[[Category:Hamburgers (food)]]
[[Category:1996 introductions]]
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