LogmaA McDonald's Big Arch has 1,020 calories, with 53 grams of protein, 65 grams of fat, 25 grams of saturated fat, 59 grams of carbs, 15 grams of sugar and 1,760 milligrams of sodium. That is McDonald's biggest and most calorie dense burger, about half of a 2,000 calorie day in one sandwich, before you add a single fry.
The Big Arch landed in the US on March 3, 2026, after years on menus in Canada, the UK and Australia. McDonald's has not set an end date, so it is still around. Here are the real numbers, how it stacks up against the Big Mac, what the full combo adds up to, and the fastest way to log it without guessing.
Big Arch calories and full nutrition
These are the published figures for the US Big Arch, a 395 gram sandwich, which works out to about 14 ounces of burger in your hand.
| Nutrient | Per Big Arch | Share of a 2,000 cal day |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 1,020 | About 51% |
| Protein | 53 g | A big hit |
| Total fat | 65 g | About 83% |
| Saturated fat | 25 g | About 125% |
| Carbs | 59 g | |
| Sugar | 15 g | About 10 g added |
| Sodium | 1,760 mg | About 77% |
What is actually inside: two quarter pound beef patties, three slices of white cheddar, crispy and slivered onions, lettuce, pickles and the new Big Arch sauce, all on a sesame and poppy seed bun. The sauce is a tomato based mix with mustard and pickle notes, and it is where a chunk of that sugar and salt comes from.
Big Arch vs Big Mac vs Quarter Pounder
The quickest way to feel the size of the Big Arch is to line it up next to the burgers you already know.
| Burger | Calories | Saturated fat | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Arch | 1,020 | 25 g | 1,760 mg |
| Double Quarter Pounder | 740 | 20 g | 1,360 mg |
| Big Mac | 580 | 11 g | 1,060 mg |
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese | 520 | 13 g | 1,140 mg |
| Cheeseburger | 300 | 6 g | 720 mg |
So the Big Arch has almost twice the calories of a Big Mac and more than twice the saturated fat. The Center for Science in the Public Interest, which called it the unhealthiest burger on the menu, put it another way: one Big Arch is about the same as eating a stack of four plain McDonald's cheeseburgers.
The saturated fat and sodium are the real story
The calorie number gets the headlines, but the two to watch are saturated fat and sodium, because they blow past a full day faster than the calories do.
At 25 grams, the Big Arch is over 100 percent of the 20 gram daily value for saturated fat in the FDA Daily Values, in one sandwich. The 1,760 milligrams of sodium is about 77 percent of the 2,300 milligram daily cap. There are also 3 grams of trans fat, which is the one most guidance says to keep as low as you can. None of this makes the Big Arch off limits. It just means it is a treat you plan for, not a default lunch, and the rest of your day reads a lot lighter if you know the number going in.
The one genuine upside is the protein. 53 grams is a serious amount, more than most people get in a whole dinner, so the Big Arch at least keeps you full for the calories it costs.
The Big Arch combo adds up fast
Here is where it gets away from people. The sandwich is 1,020 on its own, but almost nobody orders a burger alone.
| Order | Calories |
|---|---|
| Big Arch only | 1,020 |
| Medium fries | 320 |
| Medium Coca-Cola (about) | 210 |
| Big Arch medium combo | About 1,550 |
So the medium combo lands around 1,550 calories, and CSPI's full meal math with a large soda comes out near 1,610 calories and 2,085 milligrams of sodium, almost a whole day of salt. A large meal can push past 1,700. The easy wins are the same as always: a water or diet drink takes about 200 calories straight off, and sharing or skipping the fries saves another 300 or so. You can still have the burger.
Is the Big Arch permanent, and where can you get it?
The Big Arch rolled out across the US on March 3, 2026, and McDonald's has not announced an end date, so for now it is on menus nationwide at participating restaurants. McDonald's executive Jill McDonald said it had shown strong traction in other markets and that customers wanted something heartier that still felt like McDonald's.
It is worth knowing the Big Arch is not brand new to the world. It launched in Canada and Portugal in 2024, the UK in 2025, then Australia and New Zealand, before the US got it this year. Prices are not set nationally, so what you pay depends on your location. If you want it, it should be at your local McDonald's, and the calorie math above is what you are working with.
How to log a Big Arch in a few seconds
The slow way is to open a tracker, search "Big Arch", scroll past a dozen near matches, pick one, then search again for the fries and the drink. Three items, three searches, and you are standing in the parking lot doing data entry over a burger.
The faster way is to just say the order. With Logma, you tap the mic and talk:
"A Big Arch, a medium fries and a Diet Coke from McDonald's."
Logma counts all three items and logs the calories and macros in about 3 seconds. If you would rather type, type the same sentence and you get the same result. There is no account to set up and your log stays on your phone, which is handy when you are logging a quick drive thru stop and do not want to make a project of it. More on why a fast log is the one you actually keep is in this post on logging in 3 seconds.
How to fit a Big Arch into your week
One big burger does not undo anything. Weight comes from the weekly average, not a single lunch, so the move is to plan around it, not panic about it. A few honest ways to do that:
- Bank it. If you know a Big Arch is coming, keep breakfast and dinner lighter that day. You are spending calories you set aside, not going over.
- Cut the add ons, not the burger. Water instead of soda and sharing the fries can take 400 to 500 calories off the meal while you still get the thing you came for.
- Lean on the protein. 53 grams is a lot. A Big Arch leaves you fuller than most 1,020 calorie meals would, so it can double as the protein anchor of your day if you build the rest around it.
If you are not sure how many calories you have to work with in the first place, the free calorie calculator gives you a daily target in a minute, and this guide to the calorie deficit shows how much room a treat like this actually takes up. For a second McDonald's seasonal pick this month, the McRib numbers are a lighter 520.
Why a quick log beats a photo for this one
Photo calorie apps are having a moment, and they are genuinely fast for a plate you can see. A stacked burger like the Big Arch is a good example of where a photo struggles, though. A lot of the calories here live in the melted cheese, the sauce and the fat in the patties, and a camera cannot see fat or measure sauce. It sees a burger and guesses. Saying "a Big Arch" names the exact item, so the number comes straight from the known nutrition instead of a visual estimate. That is the same reason describing a plate often beats weighing it for everyday meals.
To be fair, if you mostly eat packaged food with barcodes, a scan and search app is still the right tool, and the McDonald's app will show you the number too. Where talking wins is the messy, saucy, no label stuff. If you want the full field compared by how you actually log, our guide to the best calorie trackers in 2026 goes app by app.
FAQ
How many calories are in a Big Arch?
A McDonald's Big Arch has 1,020 calories, with 53 grams of protein, 65 grams of fat, 25 grams of saturated fat, 59 grams of carbs, 15 grams of sugar and 1,760 milligrams of sodium. It is McDonald's biggest and most calorie dense burger.
Is the Big Arch bigger than a Big Mac?
Yes, by a lot. The Big Arch has 1,020 calories to the Big Mac's 580, so almost twice as many, plus more than twice the saturated fat. It uses two quarter pound patties and three slices of cheese, where the Big Mac uses two thinner patties.
How many calories are in a Big Arch combo meal?
About 1,550 calories for a medium combo: the 1,020 calorie Big Arch, medium fries at 320 and a medium Coca-Cola at roughly 210. With a large soda the full meal lands near 1,610. Swapping the drink for water takes about 200 calories off.
Is the Big Arch unhealthy?
It is a treat, not an everyday lunch. The Center for Science in the Public Interest called it the unhealthiest burger on McDonald's menu because the saturated fat is over a full day's value and the sodium is about 77 percent of the daily cap. The 53 grams of protein is the upside. Plan for it and it fits.
Is the Big Arch still available in 2026?
Yes. It launched across the US on March 3, 2026 and McDonald's has not announced an end date, so it is on menus at participating restaurants. Availability and price vary by location, so check your local McDonald's.
What is the fastest way to log a Big Arch?
Say or type the whole order in one sentence. In Logma you can say "a Big Arch, medium fries and a Diet Coke" and it logs the calories and macros in about 3 seconds, with no account and no searching through a database item by item.
Sources: Big Arch nutrition facts, FastFoodNutrition · The Big Arch is the unhealthiest burger on McDonald's menu, CSPI · McDonald's to debut Big Arch March 3, Scripps News · Big Arch (hamburger), Wikipedia · FDA Daily Values for the Nutrition Facts label. Numbers are approximate and can change; nothing here is medical advice.
