How the Big Arch stacks up against other McDonald's burger favorites
McDonald’s has introduced its new Big Arch burger, its “biggest and boldest” hamburger yet, which has drawn public interest over its size – and by a tiny bite taste-test video by CEO Chris Kempczinski that’s gone viral.
The burger was released on March 3 for what McDonald’s says is a limited time only.
Big is the keyword for the Big Arch, which has two quarter-pound beef patties, three slices of melted white cheddar cheese, and a new condiment called Big Arch sauce.
It also has 1,020 calories, or half of the Food and Drug Administration’s recommended daily intake of 2,000 calories.
No one expects hamburgers to be healthy, but Kempczinski’s video of him tasting the burger was roasted online. The video prompted some unexpected playground-level teasing and a surge in Big Arch interest.
USA TODAY looked at how the Big Arch compares to other popular McDonald’s hamburgers. Here’s what we found.
How does the Big Arch compare to the Big Mac and other McDonald's burgers?
Based on the FDA's Daily values of a 2,000-calorie diet, here is how these McDonald's burgers factor into the amount of recommended nutrients you should consume, or at least don't exceed, each day:
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What happened in the McDonald's Big Arch CEO video?
Viewers reacted with skepticism (and some laughter) to a video of Kempczinski purportedly trying the Big Arch for the first time. People thought he looked uncomfortable and unconvincing in handling the burger.
Parodies have popped up on some social media, USA TODAY reported. One TikTok video with over 949,000 likes pokes fun at Kempczinski's review by using similar wording to judge other McDonald's items.
How much does a Big Arch cost?
Prices of McDonald's burgers vary by location. The prices above are from a McDonald's restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia.
Will the Big Arch stay on the menu permanently?
The Big Arch has more calories, carbs, cholesterol and saturated fat than other McDonald’s burgers. Its sodium content is 1,760 milligrams, which 76% of the recommended daily intake of 2,300 milligrams advised by the American Heart Association.
But even though the Big Arch outweighs other burgers by nearly every nutritional metric, it could stay on the menu if it proves popular among customers.
McDonald’s introduced the Big Arch in the diverse markets of Canada, Germany, Portugal, France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom about 18 months ago. It’s already been added permanently to U.K. outlets.
CONTRIBUTING Mike Snyder, Kate Perez
SOURCE USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Reuters