Is The Big Arch As Bad As the McDonalds CEO Seems To Think?
ANSWER: No, it’s not!
The Big Arch is the latest invention from McDonalds, a brand that plays it pretty safe, but every once in a while gets pretty crazy. Does it do so here? Not really. The first thing you’ll notice that’s different is the three white cheddar cheese (which I thought was provolone at first.) Then, there’s some enhanced vegetable presence on this burger, that is to say an unusual abundance of lettuce and pickles and then finally the tangy Arch Sauce, which is kind of like a spicy aioli of sorts. This doesn’t reinvent the wheel. But as far as flavor goes, I quite like it.
White cheddar cheese and white cheeses in general are a common lean for fast food chains looking to pretend to re-invent the burger. Dairy Queen loves their provolone slice thrown in. My experience with white cheese on fast food burgers is honestly disappointing. But the Big Arch actually did a good job with this. That extra slice, on the bottom…that’s kind of a calculated move, even if at first it seems wasteful and pointless. See, the knife’s edge in this delicate dance of flavor, is the intersection of mayo, cheese, tangy Big Arch sauce and of course, beef. But the beef here needs to be a tad bit understated and let the cheese and sauce take the lead. That extra slice of cheese and the decision to put the Big Arch sauce on the bottom and top, ultimately deliver this affect and make the burger’s flavors and feel distinct from your average McDonalds burger.
Is it a product? Yes. But it’s a tasty product and there’s some thought put into it. It’s embarrassing how afraid their CEO was of this burger. This is arguably better than the average McDonald’s fare and it’s also not a bad product. The fact he had no confidence in this relatively strong fast food burger, gives me pause. It’s a lesson in love, much like Punch The Monkey. Love the ones who choose to love you, not the ones you feel must love you. Chris Kempczinski, McDonalds CEO, he doesn’t see what I see in the Big Arch. The subtle dance of two limited time fast food components as they try to make a relatively safe dish feel new and exciting. The wide eyed stare of the workers because “literally no one has ever gotten that.” The crack and crunch of new found lettuce from the McDonalds farms being crushed on top of two quarter pound patties. There’s something uniquely American about this, even if it’s not the best parts of America.
I honor it. Praise the Big Arch.
