28 Jun 2012 Styling the Big Mac

If you have ever queued for a McDonald’s burger drooling over the photos on the menu, you’ve probably wondered why your Big Mac never looks the same, even if you’re not surprised. And ditto for most other fast food joints.

McDonald’s Canada has candidly revealed all the secrets of the food styling that makes its burgers look so much juicier, bigger and tastier in its adverts. The story has become a massive YouTube sensation with over 5.8m views (when posting this article).

In the video, the delicate process is shown as the ingredients are stacked, with the ketchup and mustard added using a syringe.

And, emphasising how different the beautifully presented burgers are to those bought in store, they are compared side-by-side with their less attractive counterparts.

The video shows how each ingredient is carefully put into place, with the onions, pickles and sauces placed at the edge of the bun so they can seen.

A food stylist explains: “This way we can at least tell people you have ketchup, you have mustard, you have two pieces of cheese and you know what you’re getting.”

After the ingredients are in place, the cheese is gently melted using a heated palette knife. A computer is used to add the finishing touches.

When the photographs of the burger made in the restaurant and that made in the studio are placed side-by-side the differences are, well, obvious.

See what you think…. view the video here!

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If you want to see more burgers looking less than their ads, visit this website:

The Truth About Fast Food Advertisements: Side by Side Comparisons