The name Don Gorske might not matter to you, unless you were one of the devotees that watched the documentary Super Size Me. However, at age 64, Donald Gorske accomplished what many thought he would never do: He ate his 30,000th Big Mac on Friday, May 4, 2018. The Fond du Lac, Wisconsin native considers himself a "Big Mac enthusiast" and already held the Guinness World Record in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most Big Macs ever. A retired prison guard, Gorske made something of a name for himself when his appearance in Super Size Me made his passion for the fast food burger with its sesame seed bun and special sauce known.
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However, that fame hasn't slowed him down one bit. Per the Associated Press in 2008, Gorske had his first Big Mac on May 17, 1972 and his obsessive-compulsive disorder then drove him to consume 23,000 Big Macs in 36 years. He keeps every burger receipt in a box to prove his track record, and he's only skipped eight days of Big Mac consumption since that first burger. He skipped his daily burger on the day his mother died, per her request, and again once because McDonald's was closed due to snowfall.
In 2003 alone, he ate 741 Big Macs and averages about two Big Macs each day. On May 17, 2011, Gorske ate his 25,000th Big Mac at his favorite restaurant in Fond du Lac. Now, 46 years after his first burger, he can finally tally up 30,000 Big Macs consumed.
You might think the Wisconsin man is wildly unhealthy, but according to the Fond du Lac Reporter, Gorske said of his fame, "People make fun of me, but it never bothered me. At my last medical check-up, I had low cholesterol and my blood pressure was perfect." In fact, he completed the San Diego marathon with his 21,387th Big Mac in hand. His average consumption of two daily Big Macs equals about 1,080 calories by McDonald's standards since he doesn't consume fries.
It?s one for the history books. He?s done it. Local folk hero Don Gorske has eaten his 30,000th Big Mac. Let the record show it took place 3:30pm at the Fond du Lac @McDonalds. He cautions this may be his last milestone, projecting 40,000 would come in 2032. #SuperSizeMe #WISN12 pic.twitter.com/4rJ5lTCYui
— Nick Bohr (@NickBohrWISN) May 4, 2018
He also notes that he weighs less than he did about 5,000 burgers ago, and he eats the McDonald's fruit and yogurt parfait because his wife just wants him to eat some more fruits and vegetables. Can you blame her? In fact, it's that same desire that led to the popularity of ranch dressing. However, he does exclusively drink Coca-Cola. Maybe because it tastes better at McDonald's?
Will Gorske consume his 40,000th burger anytime soon? As he told VICE, "If I go for 40,0000, that'll take me another 14 years or whatever like that. I don't think people celebrate 35,000 at all, so we're probably looking a 14 more years down the road, and I'll be 78 years old then! So we'll have to see how I'm doing then, you know?"
