The Board of Directors of McDonald's China launches the 50th Anniversary of the Big Mac in China Photo: Courtesy of McDonald's

McDonald's China announced that it will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Big Mac throughout the world and launch collectable coins known as MacCoins that will feature five unique designs for fans to share and collect on Friday. On Monday, August 6, 2018, over 2,500 designated McDonald's restaurants in the Chinese mainland will distribute more than one million MacCoins. Each MacCoin is redeemable for one free Big Mac at a McDonald's restaurant, located in more than 50 countries worldwide.

McDonald's Global CEO Steve Easterbrook said, "Since it was introduced 50 years ago, the Big Mac has traversed the globe and is now enjoyed in cities from Chicago to Beijing, providing a delicious taste and enjoyable moments to people all over the world. The meaning of the Big Mac is far beyond that of any other burger. So we wanted a global celebration that is as unique as the burger itself. The MacCoin is the first food-backed collectable currency and transcending a single currency to commemorate our global iconic burger, while giving customers all over the world a chance to enjoy a Big Mac on us."

In order to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Big Mac, designated McDonald's restaurants in the Chinese mainland will deliver more than one million MacCoins to Chinese consumers for free on August 6, 2018. From 10:30 am, customers who sing the birthday song for the Big Mac at a participating restaurants will receive one MacCoin with a random design. The offer is subject to availability. Customers can share and collect the MacCoins or redeem a MacCoin for one free Big Mac before December 31, 2018 at participating McDonald's restaurants in more than 50 countries, including China, the US, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Brazil.

"In 1990, the Big Mac came to Mainland China together with the first McDonald's restaurant. Today, the Big Mac is McDonald's most popular beef burger product in China. Over 50 million Big Macs are sold here every year, and Beijing boasts the highest sales volume in the country," said Ms. Phyllis Cheung, the CEO of McDonald's China. "In the Chinese-speaking world, we are proud to see that the 'Big Mac' has become more than just the name of a burger. It is a common word for consumers and the media and is an indispensable part of their lives."

On August 6, 2018, customers can receive MacCoins at designated McDonald's restaurants in the Chinese mainland for free. Photo: Courtesy of McDonald's

More than 6.2 million MacCoins will be distributed in more than 50 countries. These collectable coins will feature five unique designs, each representing a decade of the Big Mac and its influence on life, commerce and pop culture. Each MacCoin design features elements from a particular time in history, with a nod to the art, music and pop culture of that time: the '70s coin showcases the flower power that defined that decade, the '80s alludes to pop art, the '90s features abstract geometric shapes, the early '00s focuses on the technology that was at the forefront of the turn of the century, and the '10s MacCoin celebrates the past 10 years by calling attention to the evolution of communication. The front of the MacCoin celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Big Mac. Additionally, the relevant time is specified in seven languages: Arabic, English, Indonesian, Mandarin, Portuguese, French and Spanish.

The Big Mac was created by McDonald's owner-operator Jim Delligatti. In April 1967, Jim Delligatti invented the Big Mac at his grill in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. In 1968, the Big Mac formally became a conventional product of the McDonald's brand. As a classic McDonald's product, the Big Mac has achieved universal recognition and a lasting legacy in nearly 37,000 McDonald's restaurants around the world. In 2017, McDonald's sold more than 1.3 billion Big Macs, with an average of 41 burgers sold each second. Since 1986, the Economist has used "the Big Mac Index" to compare the purchasing power of different international currencies.