The Arch Deluxe was the McDonald’s sandwich introduced in 1996 as a premium alternative to the Big Mac.
McDonald’s marketed the Arch Deluxe toward adults, emphasizing a more upscale image than the company’s traditional family-oriented advertising. The sandwich used a quarter-pound beef patty, a potato-flour sesame-seed bun, lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, mustard, and a signature Arch Deluxe sauce.
The launch was supported by a major advertising campaign and represented an attempt to broaden McDonald’s brand appeal. Instead of focusing primarily on children or value, the campaign presented the product as a more sophisticated choice.
The Arch Deluxe is widely remembered as an expensive product failure, although it was sold in some markets and variations continued for a time. It should not be confused with the later Big N’ Tasty, another McDonald’s burger introduced during the company’s efforts to refresh its menu.