This object is an Officer Big Mac stuffed doll dressed in the blue uniform of a police officer with a Big Mac for a head. The object is made of two pieces of fabric sewn together in a single seam. All clothing and accessories have been screened directly onto the fabric. He is wearing a belt with a double golden arches logo for a buckle and a whistle. He has a large gold star on his chest. On the back the words “Big Mac®” appear in gold lettering. Officer Big Mac joined the McDonaldland crew in 1971 as part of McDonald’s® advertising campaign aimed at children.
The McDonald’s Corporation is one of the most recognizable hamburger restaurants in the United States. As of 2011, the McDonald’s Corporation and franchisees were operating in 119 countries with 1.9 million employees, making it the 4th largest employer in the world.
In 1940, Richard (Dick) and Maurice (Mac) McDonald opened the first McDonald’s Bar-B-Q drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California. In 1948, the brothers redesigned their menu, centering on the 15 cent hamburger. In 1954, Ray Kroc, a Multimixer (milkshake machine) salesman, became interested in the McDonalds brothers’ high volume restaurant. He worked out a deal with the brothers to be their franchising agent and opened the first franchise location in Illinois the following year. Under Kroc’s direction, the company grew to become the giant we know today.
Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.
If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.