What a Big Mac Cost the Year You Were Born
Is there any burger in the world more instantly recognizable than the Big Mac? This iconic menu item was first launched in 1967 and remains synonymous with the McDonald’s brand, a flagship burger that is globally popular to this day. Developed by owner/operator Jim Delligatti of Pittsburgh, the Big Mac was added to national menus in 1968, and the rest is history. The burger itself has (for the most part) stayed the same over the decades: Two 100% all-beef patties and Big Mac Sauce sandwiched between a sesame seed bun, topped off with pickles, crisp shredded lettuce, finely chopped onion and a slice of American cheese. There are no artificial flavors, preservatives or added colors from artificial sources (except for the pickles, McDonald’s says). While the burger itself may have stayed the same over the years, the price definitely has not, even when accounting for factors such as inflation rates and food costs. If you’re curious exactly how much the pricing has changed, here’s what a Big Mac cost in the year you were born.
1960s
The Big Mac was created by Jim Delligatti and launched in 1967, costing just 45 cents. “We call him Big Mac Daddy,” Jim’s son Mike told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette back in 2007. The Big Mac was available nationwide the following year (1968).
1970s
The cost of a Big Mac in the 1970s was 65 cents. “Hard to believe now that anything was ever that cheap,” one person commented. “Sure would be cool if on their anniversaries they would use that old menu for the whole day!” another said.
1980s
By the 1980s, the Big Mac was 85 cents in some locations, according to a Reddit thread posting the original menu. “That menu though. Now it’s all bright and flashy and has pretty pictures. I want the analog back!” one Redditor said. “Bet the ice cream machine was broken then too,” another joked.
1990s
Diners could get a Big Mac for 99 cents in the 90s, just one of many wonderful things about that magical decade. “$1.99 back in the day with fries and a coke! Good times!” one fan commented via Facebook. “When I worked at McD’s, it was before the value meal. But I remember a Big Mac, small fries, and medium drink was $2.50,” another commented.
2000s
The average price of a millennium Big Mac was $2.24, according to The Economist. “These were my high school days 2001/2002. McDonald’s could fill me up for $5,” one commenter said. “Those were the days,” another agreed.
2010s
By the 2010s, the average price of a Big Mac burger was $3.43. “I’m old enough to remember Pre-Big Mac, when Hamburgers were 25 cents, and you could make it a cheeseburger for just 10 cents more,” one fan said.
2026
I just checked my McDonald’s app and a Big Mac burger in the Los Angeles area is $6.59 for just the burger, $9.00 for the meal. The most expensive burger in the menu appears to be the Double Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese at $8.79. The cheapest? The $2.50 McDouble!