After months of anticipation, McDonald’s finally unveils the Big Arch: its largest burger yet.
McDonald’s first announced plans to introduce the Big Arch at its annual investor meeting in December 2023 in response to overwhelming customer demand for heartier burgers that are both tasty and affordable.
This long-awaited addition was originally being tested in select countries, but is now available in select countries including Canada and Portugal.
“We’ve heard our customers loud and clear and understand that they’re looking for a bigger burger on our menu, and we’re excited to bring this new global menu to Canadians,” said Alyssa Buetikofer, chief marketing officer, McDonald’s Canada.
‘This satisfying burger combines the familiar McDonald’s flavors our fans know and love with some unique new ingredients, including a new spicy burger sauce created specifically for the Big Bow.’
After months of anticipation, McDonald’s finally unveils the Big Arch: its largest burger yet.
Featuring two quarter-pound patties made from 100% Canadian beef, three slices of cheese, crispy onions, pickles, lettuce and a new hot sauce, the Big Arch is designed to satisfy even the biggest appetites.
In Canada, a Big Arch meal (with a drink and fries) cost $12.59 at one of the screening test sites in Ontario. That’s equivalent to about $9 in the U.S.
While it may not be available in the United States yet, McDonald’s plans to learn from test launches before expanding its availability.
Prior to the launch of the Big Arch, McDonald’s most substantial individual burger was the Quarter Pounder, which roughly competes with Burger King’s Whopper.
In December, the company’s chief executive, Chris Kempczinski, said the planned larger burger won’t cost a fortune: “We believe we’ll be able to offer a great-tasting, large burger at a price point that customers can afford anywhere else.”
Although both are made up of patties that supposedly weigh four ounces before cooking, the Whopper has 670 calories, while McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains just 520 calories.
Fast-food restaurants in California have been raising menu prices in recent months following a state-mandated increase in the minimum wage to $20 an hour for fast-food workers.
McDonald’s has previously experimented with larger burgers, but offering larger versions of the ones it currently offers.
In January, the Double Big Mac (which has four patties instead of two and extra sauce) returned for a limited time. It cost about $7 and was a hit while it was on sale for a month.
McDonald’s has also begun rolling out CosMc, a subsidiary that focuses more on coffee and drinks than food and is said to be inspired by Starbucks. When it first opened, it was so busy that cars would queue for hours.
The first is in Bolingbrook, Illinois. Nine more are expected to open before the end of 2024, including one in Dallas-Fort Worth and one in San Antonio.
McDonald’s new, bigger burger is part of its plan to lure customers back.
The chain had reported a surprise drop in sales in the April-June quarter on Monday as customers cut back on trips to the fast-food giant.
McDonald’s first announced plans to introduce the Big Arch at its annual investor meeting in December 2023 in response to overwhelming customer demand for heartier burgers that are both tasty and affordable.
This long-awaited addition was originally being tested in select countries, but is now available in select countries including Canada and Portugal.
Americans placed fewer orders than a year ago, meaning sales were down nearly 1%. Worldwide, sales fell by a similar amount.
The Chicago burger giant introduced a $5 meal deal at its U.S. restaurants on June 25 — a McChicken or McDouble, four chicken nuggets, fries and a drink — as part of its plan to lure back value-conscious customers.
That offer was only in effect for about a week of the financial reporting period, so its effects will be seen in the next quarter.
Overall, the chains are reeling from falling customer numbers as Americans, fed up with two years of price increases, stay away and are throwing in all these deals.
From Burger King $5 Meal Your Way: Offers four items like McDonald’s. It was the first to arrive in restaurants in June.
Wendy’s has a $3 breakfast deal and also a four-item meal for $5 similar to McDonald’s and BK’s.
Starbucks also made a surprise entry into the value wars with a $5 coffee-and-breakfast-food combo.