McDonald’s Big Arch Burger US launch set

McDonald’s Big Arch Burger, well-received internationally, is coming to the U.S. on March 3. It will be available for a limited time.

The premium product, which the chain called “our most McDonald’s, McDonald’s burger yet,” features two quarter-pound beef patties, three slices of white cheddar cheese, slivered onions, lettuce, pickles, Big Arch Sauce, and toasted buns with sesame and poppy seeds.

McDonald’s began testing Big Arch one and a half years ago, and it has “shown strong traction across several markets,” according to Jill McDonald, the company’s global chief restaurant experience officer. The burger was officially introduced in April 2025 in France and became the country’s top-selling burger, even after the media campaign ended. Big Arch then debuted in the U.K. in mid-June 2025. It performed so well in the market that it became a permanent menu item.

“Customers are responding to this delicious, more satisfying burger that meets their demand for something heartier while still feeling distinctly McDonald’s,” McDonald said during the brand’s Q4 earnings call earlier in February.

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Big Arch will be the U.S.’s second piece of beef innovation in less than a year. Last summer, McDonald’s U.S. introduced the Daily Double Burger, made with two beef patties, American cheese, lettuce, onions, mayo, and tomato slices. The burger is now part of the brand’s Meal Deal special. While customers can get a McDouble or McChicken, four-piece Chicken McNuggets, small fries, and a small drink for $5, they can also upgrade to the Daily Double option for $6 or $7, depending on the market.

“There’s plenty of growth still in beef,” McDonald said.

Beef continues to be a priority for McDonald’s, along with chicken—a global category that is twice the size of beef—and beverages.

In 2025, McDonald’s released new chicken strips and brought back its Snack Wrap after offering the Chicken Big Mac for a limited time the year before. The chain grew its chicken category share across its top 10 markets in 2025 and is on pace to grow its share by at least 1 percentage point by the end of 2026 compared to December 2023.

As for beverages—a category that has more than $100 billion in opportunity—the company began testing a selection of energy drinks, iced coffees, fruity refreshers, and crafted sodas across more than 500 U.S. restaurants. During the pilot, the beverages led to incremental occasions across multiple dayparts as well as a higher average check, including favorable results from a Red Bull collaboration. A systemwide launch is planned for later this year under the McCafe brand.

U.S. same-store sales rose 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter—the brand’s highest quarterly increase since Q3 2023—backed by positive average check and traffic. For the full year, comps increased 2.1 percent.