The Arch Deluxe was McDonald’s premium burger introduced in 1996 and discontinued in the United States in 2000.
McDonald’s marketed the Arch Deluxe as a more sophisticated product aimed at adults rather than children. The sandwich used a quarter-pound beef patty, a potato-flake bun, lettuce, tomato, onions, bacon, cheese, and a mustard-and-mayonnaise-style sauce. Its advertising emphasized taste and maturity.
The launch was supported by a large promotional campaign, but sales did not meet the company’s expectations. McDonald’s removed the burger from its United States menu in 2000. The product is remembered as an important example of the risks involved when a strongly family-oriented brand attempts to reposition part of its menu.
The Arch Deluxe is sometimes confused with the later Big N’ Tasty. Both were positioned as larger or more premium burgers, but they were separate products introduced in different periods.