In a world where every fast food chain is rolling out chicken sandwiches, chicken wraps and chicken tenders, it’s easy to forget that these chains built their reputations on the humble burger.
It turns out McDonald’s didn’t forget.
The iconic fast food restaurant is rolling out the Big Arch Burger on March 3 — and I’ve already eaten one in order to tell you exactly what to expect.
McDonald’s officially announced the Big Arch Burger on Tuesday, calling it “a premium flavor experience that delivers BIG with every bite. It’s our ‘most McDonald’s, McDonald’s burger’ yet — a love letter to fans who simply can’t get enough.”
I’m not normally a “big burger” guy when it comes to getting a burger at McDonald’s. A Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese is right in my wheelhouse. Way back in the early days of Snackology, I talked about my feelings toward the Big Mac when I reviewed the Chicken Big Mac.
The Big Arch Burger is not an evolution or an offshoot of the Big Mac. It’s an entirely new way of thinking about what a massive McDonald’s burger should be.
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We got our glimpse at the Big Arch Burger earlier this month when McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski posted a video on Instagram of himself biting into one. “Holy cow, that is a big burger,” he exclaimed when he opened the box.
He was right. The Big Arch Burger is, well, a big burger. A very big burger.
McDonald’s introduced a new toasted bun featuring sesame and poppy seeds for the Big Arch Burger, and it dwarfs the buns you’d get with a regular burger.
The Big Arch Burger doesn’t mess around with a middle bun. Complementing the elevated bun is two quarter-pound beef patties (which would make this a half-pound burger, if my math is correct), three slices of white cheddar cheese (not Swiss as I originally thought), crispy and slivered onions, lettuce and pickles. McDonald’s’ new “game-changing” Big Arch Sauce – which the chain describes as “a tangy, creamy sauce with a perfect balance of mustard, pickle and sweet tomato flavors” — is applied on both buns.
If you’re going to introduce a new burger that’s going to be promoted as the “biggest and boldest” burger you've ever released, you gotta nail it.
And McDonald’s nailed it with the Big Arch Burger.
I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this one. When I first heard rumors of this burger, I was instantly reminded of the Arch Deluxe. The Big Arch Burger successfully reclaims that “Arch” branding for a premium burger.
The patties are as good as the ones you get in a Quarter Pounder. The mix of sesame and poppy seeds on the bun adds a hint of flavor and some welcomed texture. The Big Arch Sauce is flavorful with just the right amount of zing. (I want to dip McNuggets into it.) And I’m thrilled to see McDonald’s continue its trend of adding surprising crispy veggies to its sandwiches, following in the footsteps of the crispy jalapeños on its Hot Honey McCrispy Sandwich.
I was also impressed by the sophistication of the Big Arch Burger. It feels thoughtful. It wasn’t slapped together or squished in a box. I get that actual fast food is never going to look as perfectly staged as it does in the marketing photos, but my Big Arch Burger came out of its uniquely branded box ready to nail its Snackology photoshoot.
My one regret is that I didn’t weigh the Big Arch Burger before I started eating it.
Snack Score
Big Arch Burger
🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪
(5 out of 5)
Snackology is a publication of The Omnicosm.
Issue No. 167
Snackology is written and produced by Bill Kuchman. Copyediting by Tim Kuchman.
The Omnicosm founder. Snackology, Popculturology and The Cold Open writer. A Rochester, N.Y., native now living in the Washington, D.C., area. Won’t pass up a Genny Cream Ale.
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