The Arch Deluxe was McDonald’s 1990s sandwich promoted as an upscale alternative to the Big Mac.
McDonald’s launched the Arch Deluxe in 1996 as part of an effort to attract adults with a more sophisticated product image. Its advertising emphasized features such as a quarter-pound beef patty, a potato-flour sesame-seed bun, lettuce, tomato, onions, cheese, and a mustard-and-mayonnaise sauce.
The campaign was unusually expensive and relied heavily on positioning the product as a premium choice rather than a children’s or family-oriented menu item. Despite the investment, sales did not meet expectations, and the Arch Deluxe was eventually discontinued.
It is often confused with the Big N’ Tasty, another later McDonald’s burger. The Arch Deluxe is particularly associated with the company’s 1990s attempt to broaden its branding toward adult customers.