“It tastes synthetic”: Woman tries first Big Mac at age 30, triggers nostalgia and outrage
A woman has filmed her reaction to eating a Big Mac for the first time in her life.
In a recent video posted to TikTok, 30-year-old TikToker @_sivannatalie (Sivan Natalie) tried the legendary McDonald's burger, giving it mixed reviews.
Some flocked to the comments section to agree with her criticisms, while others felt she was too harsh. Commenters also discussed the alleged shrinkage of Big Macs and whether the burgers are still as good as their 1980s heyday.
What does the video show?
Sivan posted the video to TikTok on Oct. 22, 2025, alongside the caption, “At the ripe old age of 30 at 13 weeks pregnant, I’ve finally tried my first Big Mac…”
“I’ve never had a Big Mac in my life,” she revealed.
“I don’t know what inspired this, literally there’s no rhyme or reason. I just had a moment of like, 'I’m gonna try something new for me on the McDonald's menu.'" She also admitted that she was scared of what to expect, because “this is not real meat.”
Sivan then filmed herself eating the burger, taking a few bites before delivering her final review.
“It’s not terrible, but given the choice between this and In-N-Out…” she began. “It tastes synthetic, you know what I mean? Is it terrible? Is it bad? I don’t know if I would ever crave that.”
Commenters were divided in their reactions, with many feeling Sivan didn’t give the Big Mac a fair try before evaluating.
“Babe don’t play us - you know it was good,” wrote Big Miss Steak, to which Sivan replied, “I think for a lot of people it’s just nostalgic.”
“You sound like a party pooper,” added someone else.
Others admitted they had also never tried a Big Mac.
“I’m 29 and I’ve never had one either,” commented Dezzl29 while Rolltideroll29 added, “I haven’t either 36. Every time I go I just end up getting my regular order.”
Many commenters felt that Sivan’s burger was unusually big for a Big Mac, with some harkening it back to their size many years ago, feeling that they had shrunk over the years.
“My Big Mac is never that big wth,” commented Victoria.
“Your hands must be small because I’ve never seen a regular Big Mac that big,” added Eevie1.
“Girl the Big Macs back in the day were much bigger, you would’ve been shook,” said someone else.
@_sivannatalie At the ripe age of 30 at 13 weeks pregnant, I’ve finally tried my first Big Mac.. #bigmac #mcdonalds #firstbigmac #pregnant #mcdonaldsmukbang ♬ original sound - Sivan Natalie
Are Big Macs getting smaller?
If you’ve questioned the size of Big Macs before, you’re not alone. It turns out that a surprising number of people have wondered whether Big Macs have shrunk over time in line with increased prices.
u/CyanideMuffin67 posed the question to Reddit in a post from Jan 2024, titled, “Have Big Macs gotten smaller or not?”
“Since their introduction they've shrunk a lot over time, not sure about recently,” one person replied, to which u/CyanideMuffin67 said, “Well I remember them being wider and you had to hold with both hands.”
Others had similar memories to OP.
“A few of their burgers definitely have over time and the main one is the Big Mac. I remember them being much bigger previously,” wrote u/RARARA-001.
“Personal experience only, but YES, the beef patty has shrunk over time. I can recall in the 80s the patty being bigger, and no corporate speak can convince me otherwise,” commented u/KG7DHL.
Could people be misremembering?
But is this just another example of one of the internet's collective false memories—aka, a Mandela Effect?
Snopes looked into the claim in 2024, after a post went viral on X that stated, “Big Mac went from $0.50 to $8 and lost 40% of its size from 1980-2024.” The outlet conducted a fact check and found that there was no evidence to support the claim, aside from posts on the McDonald’s website, via the Wayback Machine, that showed a 0.1 ounce change (and back again) between 2008 and 2016.
“We found no substantiated evidence to support assertions that between 1980 and 2024 the Big Mac's size decreased by 40%. No reliable sources, including McDonald's website and official statements or credible news outlets, have confirmed any significant reduction in the size of the Big Mac. Such rumors may have stemmed from anecdotal observations or individual perceptions, lacking factual evidence,” they wrote.
As for whether the Big Mac is still beloved? In 2022, research showed that Big Macs, McNuggets, and fries accounted for 60% of McDonald’s total sales, so it’s clearly still a popular item.
More recent data claims the chain sells between 900 million and 1 billion Big Macs annually, so whether it is popular with TikTokers or not, the iconic burger continues to be enjoyed all over the world.
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