McDonald’s is very good at staying in the conversation, and its newest menu item is doing exactly that. The Big Arch burger arrived in restaurants across the U.S. on March 3, and the internet quickly latched onto two things: the CEO’s awkward taste-test video, and the burger’s unhinged price tag. The burger sells for about $9 in many locations, which has already sparked plenty of complaints online.
But the price isn’t the same everywhere. Researchers at NeoMam Studios looked at how much the Big Arch actually costs across the United States and found that the price can vary widely depending on where you order it.
To figure it out, NeoMam Studios pulled prices from 460 McDonald’s restaurants across more than 130 cities using the official McDonald’s app. They then averaged prices from restaurants near the three largest cities in each state to calculate statewide numbers.
Depending on the location, the Big Arch can cost up to 74% more in some cities than others.
Where the Big Arch Costs the Most (and Least) by State
At the state level, Alaska takes the crown for the most expensive Big Arch, where the burger averages $10.32. A few other states also push close to the $10 mark, including Washington ($10.19), Maine ($10.03), and Hawaii ($10).
Those higher prices tend to show up in places where transportation and operating costs are higher.
On the other side of the spectrum, the cheapest state for the Big Arch is Oklahoma, where the burger averages $8.05. Not far behind are Texas ($8.08) and Indiana ($8.15), with much of the Midwest and South staying comfortably under the national average.
In most states, the price lands somewhere between $8 and $9.50, which means the widely cited $9 price tag is really more of a rough guideline than a standard.
Which Cities Have the Most Expensive Big Arch?
The most expensive Big Arch in the country shows up in Lewiston, Maine, where the burger sells for a whooping $12.99, which is almost double the price paid in the cheapest cities.
Other high-price locations include Juneau, Alaska ($11.49); Pearl City, Hawaii ($11.29); and Spokane, Washington ($11.29). Even big cities like Chicago ($10.09) and Seattle ($10.46) land on the expensive side of the list.
Meanwhile, the cheapest Big Arch in the country is in Columbia, South Carolina, where the burger averages $7.46. A few other cities also land under the $8 mark, including Milwaukee ($7.66), Fort Worth ($7.69), and Lexington ($7.69).
So depending on where you’re ordering, the same burger can cost about five dollars more just a few states away.
What’s in McDonald’s New Big Arch Burger?
The Big Arch is McDonald’s newest large-format burger, as part of the chain’s push toward bigger, more premium menu items. The sandwich is built around two quarter-pound beef patties and weighs more than twice as much as a standard Big Mac, making it the largest regular burger currently on McDonald’s U.S. menu.
It’s layered with three slices of white processed cheese, shredded lettuce, pickles, and slivered onions, all finished with a Big Arch sauce.
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