Over the years, the Big Mac at McDonald’s has been a fan favorite. However, the new supersized burger called the Big Arch has caused controversy over its similar tasting and looks to the Big Mac.
The biggest burger on the menu yet contains premium toppings loaded with two quarter pounder patties, three slices of white cheddar cheese, crispy onions, pickles, lettuce, and their new tangy sauce, the Big Arch sauce.
According to Sara Kay of TastingTable, she noticed a difference between the Big Mac and the Big Arch’s sauces.
“Big Arch sauce contains one ingredient that Big Mac sauce doesn’t: ketchup,” Kay commented.
In order to make the Big Mac sauce, McDonald’s uses “mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, Dusseldorf mustard, white wine vinegar, paprika, onion powder, white pepper, and granulated garlic,” Kay said.
Another food critic also noticed that the packaging for the Big Arch is way larger than the Big Mac.
Erin McDowell of Business Insider stated that “the Big Arch’s box was significantly larger than the Big Mac’s, and the burger inside looked larger as well.”
McDowell’s experience with the Big Mac and the Big Arch showed many perspectives between the two.
To start, he took a bite of the Big Mac, only to be startled that it was dry and plain.
He said, “I thought the Big Mac lacked flavor. I thought the lettuce was a little bland, the pickles weren’t super sour or crunchy, and the burger needed more sauce to moisten it.”
However, his encounter with the Big Arch progressed as he moved on. Enclosed with deluxe tastings and visuals, his love for it was beyond.
“It was very filling, and I loved the addition of the white cheddar cheese — it tasted like a real steakhouse burger,” McDowell reviewed.
Although there were several more mixed reviews about the newly released burger, the price stood out to them.
“In New York City, a single Big Arch costs $10.19 before tax and clocks in at 1020 calories—nearly twice as much as a Big Mac!” wrote Gabby Romero, a journalist for Delish.
McDowell was shocked by the slight increase in the price with his Arch burger costing him $11.59, while the Big Mac costed him $8.39.
Seeing all these high and low praises of the two burgers, I finally decided to try them out.
When I walked into McDonald’s, I saw both the Big Mac and the Big Arch burger on the same screen and I was stunned to see the price difference. The first thing I noticed when I received my order was the dissimilarity in the buns, cheeses, and that one box was bigger than the other.
Once I tried it, I was impressed with the multiple flavors that were touching my tongue. I tasted the Big Arch sauce, lettuce, cheese, and all the savory toppings in one.
However, when I tried the Big Mac, it lacked seasoning and the raw onions were scattered all over the box and the patty.
Overall, my experience with both burgers showed that I enjoyed the Big Arch more with its premium toppings, tangy sauce, and crunchy, crispy onions.
If you’re considering trying the Big Arch burger, order it now on the McDonald’s official website because it’s limited for a short amount of time!
