The Big Arch

Is it worthy?

The Big Mac made it’s national debut in 1968 and was a very popular menu item for years. Genius advertising, catchy jingle, and unique taste all made it a hit with consumers.

But the problem with the Big Mac, while tasty, is that it’s mostly bread.

The burger patties are the same patties used in their standard hamburger and cheese burger, a 1.6 ounce patty called a 10:1, ten patties to make one pound of meat. They have not changed in weight, although cooking methods have changed and may impact moisture retention. It wasn’t until the 70s that the quarter pounder was introduced and you got a quite proper hamburger patty.

When you look inside the Big Mac, it’s kind of sad, the meat are these little things completely dwarfed by the buns. It’s ok with the smaller regular burgers, but in a sandwich that is supposed to be “big” it’s deceiving.

But overall, the Big Mac is a great burger in it’s conception. The combinations of cheese, onions pickles and of course the thousand is….I mean, the “special sauce” makes it a winner.

There is even the “poor man’s big mac”. Ordering a McDouble and customizing it provides the same flavors at a slightly cheaper price. The only things you lose are the sesame seeds and middle bun.

The limited time offer “Grand Mac” has made several appearances here and abroad over the years, but not very often.

So, having said all that, McDonalds has introduced the “Big Arch”. A new hamburger that also appears to be a limited time offering. How is it different?

Core Ingredients

Beef: Two Quarter Pounder (4 oz) 100% beef patties.

Cheese: Three slices of melted white cheddar cheese.

Onions: A “double attack” of both crispy onions and fresh slivered onions.

Produce: Crisp shredded lettuce and zesty pickles.

Bun: A toasted sesame and poppy seed bun.

And finally the “Big Arch sauce”, which is a slightly different sauce than what is on the Big Mac.

So, I decided to take the Big Arch out for a test drive to give my opinion for the masses.

Now, that’s a proper sized burger. The meat extends all the way to the edges of the bun as it should. The buns are nicely toasted.

My first bite was….ok. Right away I could tell the issue is that while yes, the meat and other ingredients are all well distributed, the sauce however, was not. With the Big Mac, the sauce is everywhere, as it should because quite frankly the sauce is always the star of the Big Mac, at least to me. But it took several bites to start to get enough sauce to enjoy the burger properly. And the sauce was, well, ok. Not bad, it’s nice, but not as bold as the Big Mac Sauce, and because of the proportions of the rest of the burger not quite as pronounced. The crispy onion bits were surprisingly good, adding a bit of a pleasant crunch as you chewed.

It’s a big burger. I didn’t even finish it all. At my advanced age I don’t consume portions of my younger days. Typically my regular meal is a Daily Double, small fries, small soda. The fries I order with no salt, mainly to make sure I get a hot batch fresh out of the oil bath. Whole meal around $8. But because I had some reward points saved, I used them for the medium fries (only size offered). So, total price was an even $12 dollars with tax. Ordering the combo meal (med fries, medium drink) is around $13 before taxes.

I’m not sure if all McDonalds offer table service, but I love it. Walk in, find a table, sit down, open the McDonalds app, and order your meal. Tables are numbered, and you don’t even have to get up, they bring it to you - even the soda. Only thing you have to get yourself is ketchup if needed.

Final Verdict - it’s pretty good. Not a slam dunk, the sauce is the bigger disappointment. The sauce isn’t bad, it’s just not as good as the Big Mac sauce. If the Big Arch swapped out the sauce with the Big Mac sauce, and put on more of it on the burger, it would be a smashing success. I don’t know if I’d order it again, it’s just too much food for my body to take, but for someone much younger, it might be just right. It’s finally a burger McDonalds can attach a “big” label to without irony.