Big Arch Burger McDonald's
Two quarter-pound patties and three slices of cheese make the Big Arch McDonald's biggest and heaviest burger yet. McDonald's

McDonald's is charging nearly $11 (£8.14) for a burger—and millions are still willing to pay.

The Big Arch — the chain's largest sandwich ever — became a permanent UK menu item in January 2026 after a limited summer run. American customers get their turn on 3 March, when the half-pound burger rolls out nationwide for a limited time, according to Restaurant Business Online.

The sandwich stacks two quarter-pound beef patties with three slices of white cheddar, crispy and fresh onions, lettuce, pickles, and a tangy proprietary sauce. It sits on a poppy and sesame seed bun. Simple enough. But the price? That's where it gets interesting.

The Price Tag

In the UK, the Big Arch costs $11.88 (£8.79) on its own. A medium meal runs $14.44 (£10.69). That's up from $10.80 (£7.99) when it first appeared last summer — a 10% jump in less than a year, according to The Latest Deals data cited by Newsweek.

US pricing hasn't been confirmed. But based on UK figures, expect something between $10 and $11 for the burger alone. For comparison, a Shake Shack single ShackBurger costs $8.29 in most US markets. Five Guys' standard cheeseburger sits around $11.69.

McDonald's isn't pretending to be the cheap option anymore.

This shift comes after a rough stretch. The chain's US same-store sales dropped 3.6% in the first quarter of 2025, with traffic from lower-income customers falling nearly double digits year-over-year, according to McDonald's earnings releases. Customers pushed back hard on prices that had climbed roughly 40% since 2019. Corporate responded with $5 Meal Deals and new franchise pricing standards in January 2026 to rein in outlier markups.

So, why launch an $11 burger now?

What McDonald's Is Really Selling

This isn't just a bigger burger. It's a test.

McDonald's has tried premium sandwiches before. The Arch Deluxe flopped in the 1990s. Angus Third Pounders came and went. Both failed because they felt like departures from what customers expected.

'We tried to get after this opportunity for a number of years because we thought the opportunity was about premium burger,' CFO Ian Borden admitted in 2024. 'That was wrong.'

The Big Arch takes a different approach. Same McDonald's taste. Just more of it.

Whether budget-squeezed customers will keep paying $11 for that promise is another question. But for now, McDonald's is betting big that size still sells — even when wallets are tight.

Millions will line up on 3 March to find out if they're right.

Where to Find It

The Big Arch is available at all UK and Ireland locations — in-store and via McDelivery. It's also on permanent menus in France and several European markets after trials in Portugal, Germany, and Canada throughout 2024.

US locations will carry it starting 3 March 2026, though only for a limited time. McDonald's hasn't said whether strong sales could earn it a permanent spot stateside.

'We also began to pilot Big Arch about a year and a half ago, and it's shown strong traction across several markets,' Jill McDonald, global chief restaurant experience officer, told analysts on the company's February earnings call. 'Customers are responding to this more satisfying burger that meets demand for something heartier while still feeling distinctly McDonald's.'

The Calorie Count

Here's what you're actually eating.

That's nearly double a standard Big Mac at 509 calories.

Add a medium fries (337 calories) and a medium Coke (170 calories), and you're looking at over 1,500 calories in one meal. That exceeds half the recommended daily intake for an average adult.

The timing feels deliberate. While health campaigners continue raising alarms about portion sizes, McDonald's is betting plenty of customers still want more food, not less — especially if they're paying premium prices.

The Sauce Everyone's Trying to Copy

The Big Arch sauce is doing heavy lifting here. McDonald's describes it as a tangy, creamy blend of mustard, pickle, and sweet tomato flavours — noticeably different from the classic Big Mac sauce.

It's also become a TikTok obsession. Home cooks are posting copycat recipes using mayonnaise, tomato paste, mustard powder, white wine vinegar, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Total ingredient cost? Under 50 cents per serving.

The hashtag #BigArchSauce has racked up millions of views, with creators arguing the DIY version tastes close enough to skip the drive-through entirely.

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