The Arch Deluxe was McDonald's premium burger introduced in 1996 as a more upscale menu brand.
McDonald's positioned the Arch Deluxe toward adults and emphasized a more sophisticated image than the company's traditional family-focused advertising. The product used a custom recipe and was supported by an unusually large marketing campaign designed to make the burger seem distinct from standard McDonald's offerings.
The launch became notable because the product did not achieve the commercial success the company expected. It is therefore remembered both as a menu item and as a branding experiment in trying to broaden McDonald's appeal.
The Arch Deluxe is often confused with other limited-time burgers, including Big N' Tasty. Its defining historical detail is the 1996 attempt to build a premium, adult-oriented McDonald's identity around the word “Deluxe.”