There are a lot of McDonald’s hacks out there. That makes it’s pretty hard for one single McD’s menu tweak to break through all the noise, especially when you’re talking about the famed-but-flawed Big Mac.
And yet… over the past few weeks, one Big Mac hack kept popping up on my social feeds. One clever move purported to change the whole game.
Here’s the gist: This hack has you jettison the top bun, which is un-sauced and plain, and then flip over the top burger layer of the Big Mac to create a double cheeseburger with one bun, not one-and-a-half buns. The move came from a cake delivery Instagram handle via Jonathan Massaad in Australia, where Macca’s is taken very seriously — check out the original Instagram post below:
The idea here is that losing the top, un-sauced bun means that you’re able to find a better balance of sauce-to-bun and get back to the toppings-to-meat ratio found on the classic burger. Is this true? Could 2.4 million burger eaters per day be wrong about the best way to eat a Big Mac?
I ordered some McDonald’s to find out. In fact, I ordered two Big Macs so that I could have a “control” burger for comparison’s sake. Here’s how things shook out.
The Big Mac Hack
So… this is a bit of a pain in the ass to build. You remove the top bun and then gingerly yet quickly flip over the top half of the Big Mac while trying not to fling iceberg lettuce everywhere. I’d recommend using a spatula but Uproxx Life rules say that if you need an extra kitchen implement, it’s no longer fast food (being that the convenience level has dropped considerably).
The construction of the burger becomes the bottom bun with cheese, sauce, lettuce, and onion below the first patty and sauce, lettuce, pickle, and bun above the second patty.
When it comes to the taste … yeah, it’s a Big Mac. It’s way lighter without that crown bun. The new “top” bun is a little soft and damp though, which makes holding of the burger feel sort of weird (not gross but definitely less clean).
That being said, this wasn’t terrible. In fact, losing one bun was a nice way to lighten up the Big Mac. Moreover, the more concentrated sauce did make this juicier, more savory, and overall a better eating experience.
The Original Big Mac
Look, I haven’t had a Big Mac in … I really don’t know how long. If it’s not a double cheeseburger, Filet-O-Fish, or Big Tasty, I’m probably not ordering it from Micky-D’s. Like most folks, I often just drive through for the fries.
So digging into two Big Macs in one sitting was a lot.
That being said, this Big Mac wasn’t the worst thing ever. After one bite of each version, I might have given it to the un-hacked version of the Big Mac. After the second and third bites, it became clear why I never order this hamburger sandwich. It’s just too much freakin’ bread and gets really dry and cardboard-y really fast.
The Verdict
After finishing (most of) both burgers, I’m calling it for the hack. It seems super wasteful to throw away that top bun, but it’s just too dry.
On the flip side, I might just order a Big Tasty and have them hold the tomato and bacon, add pickle, and add a patty. It’d be pretty much the same thing but with a proper crown bun with those sesame seeds that add a little something to the experience. Oh, and it’ll have a heftier patty, which is a much bigger win than this Big Mac hack, in my opinion.
In the end, does this work? Yes. Is it worth it if you’re a Big Mac fan? Sure. Does it make the Mac great? Nooooope. Sorry, pals — we’re still talking about the most overrated burger in the fast food universe.