McDonald’s is set to unveil its January 2026 menu very soon, but for those who just can’t wait, one item has been revealed already.
The fast food chain has confirmed that The Big Arch will be returning in the New Year – and this time it’ll be a permanent addition to the line-up.
This burger was first launched in the Summer, and it was quickly hailed as being like a ‘Big Mac on steroids’ on social media. Not everyone was a fan, though, as some proclaimed it to be nothing more than a ‘sloppy mess’.
According to Maccies, it brings ‘maximum McDonald’s flavour’, and it’s the biggest item they sell. For those unfamiliar, it’s bigger and wider than the Big Mac, featuring not one but two Quarter Pounder beef patties.
The Big Arch will be available in the UK and Ireland again from January 5.
Here’s everything you need to know about it…
What’s in McDonald’s Big Arch burger?
The star of the show with this burger is the Big Arch sauce, which features McDonald’s ketchup, mustard and pickle juice. There’s also some pepper in there and a few other ingredients, though the others are being kept top secret.
The signature sauce is squeezed over the top and bottom halves of a toasted sesame and poppy seed bun, which is then loaded with crispy onions on one side and slivered raw onions on the other, before shredded lettuce and pickles are added too.
A slice of white cheddar and a Quarter Pounder patty is placed on each half, with one side being topped with a third and final slice of cheese. This sandwiches nicely between the two beef patties as the box is closed, and the two sides of the burger come together to create the Big Arch.
Thomas O’Neill, head of menu at McDonald’s UK and Ireland, said the burger is one of the ‘biggest things [McDonald’s] will launch in a generation’.
He told Metro: ‘The Big Arch is designed to do two things: it’s designed to satisfy big McDonald’s hunger like nothing else on our menu, and it’s also designed to taste amazing.
‘An iconic burger needs an equally iconic sauce. The sauce is designed to look and taste, and feel like McDonald’s. If you close your eyes and try this product, it couldn’t be from anybody else but us.
‘It’s big, bold, and packed with serious deliciousness.’
How much does The Big Arch cost?
When it initially launched earlier this year, it cost £7.99 for the burger on its own or £9.99 as part of a medium meal. However, from January 2026, the price is going up.
Instead, it’ll now cost you £8.79 for the burger and £10.69 for a medium Big Arch meal.
Speaking about its comeback, Ben Fox, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, UK and Ireland, added: ‘The Big Arch is back for good.
‘When we first introduced it, customers voted with their feet and made it clear they loved the unmistakably McDonald’s taste, the generous use of ingredients and the iconic Big Arch sauce.
‘This is a burger that has earned its permanent place on the menu alongside the Big Mac.’
What does the Big Arch taste like?
I headed down to McDonald’s HQ in East Finchley in June 2025 for an exclusive first try of the Big Arch, and it didn’t disappoint. I actually think it’s better than a Big Mac, as the flavours are much more interesting.
As Thomas said, the sauce is so quintessentially McDonald’s – the combination of the slightly sweet ketchup, tangy pickle juice and punchy mustard is comfortingly familiar and yet somehow manages to taste new at the same time.
The Quarter Pounder patties give the whole thing a very meaty taste, which is stronger than what you’d get with standard McDonald’s burgers, and there’s a very satisfying crunch from the crispy onions that elevates the overall eating experience.
If I had to give it a rating out of 10, I’d give it a nine. I’m a big fan of it as far as McDonald’s burgers go, but it doesn’t get full marks as there’s one big issue with it… It’s incredibly messy.
Are you excited for the return of The Big Arch?
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Yes
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No
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I've never tried it...
Getting it into the box was a challenge for the staff, and getting it out was just as difficult for me. Things took a turn for the worse when I tried to actually eat it, as there’s so much sauce inside, everything slips and slides about on the bun as you take a bite.
I fashioned a bib out of napkins, but still ended up with dollops of sauce, bits of lettuce and onions all over me.
Eventually, I gave in and asked for a knife and fork. It felt completely and utterly wrong, but it did make a world of difference. Let it be known that this certainly isn’t something you’ll want to grab at the drive-thru and eat in your car in a hurry.
But even if you do end up wearing most of it, you certainly won’t go hungry. It’s so big, I only managed to finish half of it.
For times when you’re feeling ravenous and a Big Mac or a Double Cheeseburger just won’t cut it, the Big Arch definitely will.
A version of this article was first published on June 3, 2025.
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