More than eight months after McDonald’s first unveiled its plans to launch a bigger, more satiating burger, the long-awaited new menu item is finally seeing the light of day.
Officially named the “Big Arch,” this hefty sandwich is currently rolling out in select markets worldwide, including Canada and Portugal. McDonald’s initially previewed its plans to offer the exciting new sandwich during its annual investor meeting in December 2023, citing customer demand for larger, more filling, tasty burgers that aren’t too pricey.
“We think we’re going to be able to deliver a great tasting large burger at a superior value to what [customers] can get anywhere else,” the chain’s CEO, Chris Kempczinski, told CNN at the time.
With two quarter-pound beef patties, a whopping three slices of white processed cheese, crispy onions, pickles, lettuce, and a new tangy Big Arch sauce, the Big Arch burger certainly seems capable of satisfying bigger appetites. It may even surpass the size of the Big Mac (590 calories), which features two of the smaller beef patties that come on McDonald’s classic burgers—rather than the larger quarter-pound patties included on the Big Arch and Quarter Pounder with Cheese (520 calories).
“We have heard our guests loud and clear and understand they are looking for a bigger, burger on our menu, and we are excited to bring this new global menu item to Canadians,” McDonald’s Canada Chief Marketing Officer Alyssa Buetikofer said in the launch announcement. “This satisfying burger combines the familiar McDonald’s flavors our fans know and love with some unique new ingredients, including a tangy new burger sauce created for the Big Arch specifically.”
While the Big Arch isn’t available to customers in the United States just yet, McDonald’s previously explained that it plans to learn from the test launches before potentially rolling it out internationally. So, moving forward, fans should stay tuned for updates on where the Big Arch may be headed next.
While McDonald’s fans in the United States will have to crave the Big Arch from afar for the time being, the chain’s American restaurants recently received an exciting menu addition of their own. The popular Pumpkin and Crème Pie (280 calories) began returning to restaurants in select participating markets earlier this month, including in Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, Dallas, and Nashville, Tenn. The seasonal fall dessert features dual layers of pumpkin and vanilla creme filling encased inside a pastry crust.
Zoe Strozewski
Zoe Strozewski is a News Writer for Eat This, Not That! A Chicago native who now lives in New Jersey, she graduated from Kean University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Read more about Zoe
