McDonald's Changing Big Mac Recipe for First Time in 50 Years

For the first time in 50 years, the McDonald's Big Mac is undergoing a recipe change.

The Golden Arches will be making the change this week, mixing up the ingredients for the first time since the famed and beloved burger was first introduced in 1968 by adding an extra layer of bacon to the toppings.

The Big Mac Bacon Burger, debuting at McDonald's across the nation and in the U.K. on Wednesday, Jan. 30, features all of the traditional fixings – two 100% all beef patties, lettuce, cheese, pickles, Special Sauce, and onions on a sesame seed bun – with the added addition of three pieces of thick cut Applewood smoked bacon, giving "an exciting twist on the iconic fan-favorite's 50-year history."

The Big Mac made its debut to the McDonald's menu in 1968, and has since risen to sell more than 550 million every year, cementing its place among all other fast food items as one of the most popular in the world. Throughout the Burger's 50-year history, it has remained largely unchanged, making the addition of bacon something of a shock to many lovers of the burger.

"I'm going to get involved. Is a Big Mac with Bacon still a Big Mac?" one person asked. "For me, yes, just because you add an extra ingredient it doesn't change what it is. If you added a turbo to a corsa it's still a corsa #stillabigmac."

The question was met with varying responses across social media.

"I disagree once you put lime in the coconut its a daiquiri. The BIg Mac Plus," one person commented.

"Big Mac with Bacon. Sounds good!" another wrote.

The Big Mac won't be the only beloved menu item undergoing a recipe change. Earlier this month, the fast food chain announced that both the Quarter Pounder and their iconic fries would also be undergoing a bacon mashup, transforming into the Quarter Pounder Bacon Burger and Cheesy Bacon Fries.

To celebrate the occasion, McDonald's is offering a bacon palooza on Tuesday, Jan. 29, called the Bacon Hour. During the 60-minute period, customers headed to the Golden Arches will be served two slices of thick cut, Applewood smoked bacon with every order, which they can then add to any item of their choosing.

The idea to add bacon to menu items was prompted after McDonald's realized just how obsessed people are with the breakfast food. A study found that the word "bacon" was mentioned 17,000 times a day in the U.S. alone, or roughly 740 times an hour across popular social media platforms.