Don Gorske

Don Gorske
Born
Donald Gorske

1953 or 1954 (age 72–73)
OccupationCorrections officer
Known forRecord holder of having eaten the most Big Macs
Spouse
Mary
​
(m. 1976)​
Children1

Donald Gorske[1] (born 1953 or 1954)[2] is an American man who holds the Guinness world record for having eaten the most McDonald's Big Mac hamburgers, at over 35,000.[2][3]

Big Macs

On May 17, 1972, after getting his first car, Gorske visited the McDonald's on Military Road in his hometown of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, eating 5 Big Macs that day.[4][5] He has eaten a Big Mac almost every day since then,[6] eating his 25,000th Big Mac in 2011,[7] his 30,000th in 2018,[8] and his 35,000th in 2025.[9] He has missed eight days in that span due to bad weather, work and family obligations, and consequently keeps a home stash of frozen Big Macs for emergencies.[10] "I love Big Macs so much I'll keep eating them until I die," he said in 2018. "If I live as long as my dad I'll pass 40,000."[11] His favorite food other than Big Macs used to be lobster, but in 2024, Gorske said the last time he ate it was "over 28 years ago."[12] As of March 2024, he has eaten a Big Mac at every MLB ballpark, NFL stadium, and NASCAR stadium.[1]

Gorske entered the public eye due to his appearance in Morgan Spurlock's 2004 film Super Size Me, which explored the negative consequences of fast food.[11]

Health

A 2018 profile listed Gorske as 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) tall and 195 pounds (88 kg), with a below-average cholesterol level.[11] He says he maintains a stable weight by consuming fewer calories than the average American, skipping breakfast, and walking 6 miles (9.7 km) daily and typically does not order sides.[13][14] Aside from Big Macs, the only other food he eats is a small evening snack such as ice cream, fruit bars, or potato chips.[13] He attributes his Big Mac devotion to obsessive–compulsive disorder, noting that he catalogs all his McDonald's receipts and keeps a detailed log of all Big Macs eaten.[4]

Personal life

Gorske was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin.[15] He met his wife Mary in 1973, later proposing to her in a McDonald's parking lot in 1976 and eating a Big Mac before the start of their wedding that December.[10] The couple has a son together.[16]

Gorske was employed as a corrections officer at Waupun Correctional Institution for 25 years before retiring in 2011.[17]

References

  1. 1 2 Foxx, Rhonda. "Donald Gorske extends Guinness World Record to over 34,000 Big Macs". spectrumnews1.com. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Fond du Lac's Don Gorske eats milestone 30,000th Big Mac". Fond du Lac Reporter. May 6, 2018. Retrieved May 6, 2018. ...said Gorske, a 64-year-old retired prison guard.
  3. ↑ "Most Big Mac® burgers eaten in a lifetime". Guinness World Records. December 31, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Man says he's eaten 23,000 Big Macs since 1972". Associated Press. September 9, 2008. Archived from the original on September 12, 2008. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
  5. ↑ Roznik, Sharon (December 8, 2016). "Don Gorske gobbles 29,000th Big Mac". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  6. ↑ Suggitt, Connie (May 18, 2022). "Man celebrates 50 years of eating a Big Mac every day". Guinness World Records. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Man eats 25,000th Big Mac, 39 years after his 1st". USA Today. May 21, 2011.
  8. ↑ Roznik, Sharon (May 4, 2018). "Fond du Lac's Don Gorske eats milestone 30,000th Big Mac". Action Reporter Media (USA Today Network). Wisconsin. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  9. ↑ Pulaski, Steve. "Wisconsin's Don Gorske Eats His 35,000th Big Mac at Huge McDonald's Party". Y105. Townsquare Media.
  10. 1 2 "A BIG, Big Mac habit". CNN. May 20, 1997. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
  11. 1 2 3 Rose, Lily (February 28, 2018). "McDonald's record holder able to prove health despite eating 2 Big Macs every day for 46 years". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  12. ↑ Atwal, Sanj (February 29, 2024). "70-year-old Don Gorske extends record after eating 34,000th Big Mac". guinessworldrecords.com. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  13. 1 2 "US man extends record for most Big Macs eaten in a lifetime to over 34,000 | Wisconsin | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  14. ↑ Plummer, Russell (May 16, 2011). "Fond du Lac man prepares to eat 25,000th Big Mac". Gannett Wisconsin Media. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011.
  15. ↑ Nelson, Joe (May 5, 2018). "Wisconsin man sets world record for Big Macs eaten in a lifetime". Bring Me the News. Edina, Minnesota. Retrieved May 27, 2024. Gorske, 62, was born in Green Bay and currently lives in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
  16. ↑ Phelps, Nathan (May 17, 2022). "50 years of Big Macs: Wisconsin man keeps his fast food streak strong". Fond du Lac, Wisconsin: Spectrum News 1. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
  17. ↑ Plummer, Russell (November 5, 2011). "Fond du Lac's Big Mac man expected to hit 25,000 milestone today". The Reporter. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved May 17, 2011.