McDonald’s Viral Big Arch Launch Evokes Memories of Its Ill-Fated 1996 Arch Deluxe

McDonald’s chief executive (CEO) Chris Kempczinski’s LinkedIn unveiling of the Big Arch Burger went viral last week, though not quite as intended. The spotlight wasn’t so much on the sandwich as the leader’s visible apprehension at taking a bite.

There’s a potentially useful lesson here for brands: Don’t cast your chief executive in a role better played by someone else. It’s a lesson McDonald’s, not incidentally, has learned before.

30 years ago, the fast-food chain launched the Arch Deluxe to correct widespread perceptions that its restaurants were mostly for kids. (A reasonable impression, given the McDonaldland characters and PlayPlace jungle gyms.) Enter the 1996 Arch Deluxe, billed as “the burger with the grown-up taste” in an ad campaign that cost a reported $200 million.

A chunk of that money went to renting out New York’s legendary Radio City Music Hall for the press debut, which featured a tuxedo-clad Ronald McDonald and the Rockettes kicking in tribute.

ADWEEK attended the event. and while then-CEO, Michael Quinlan, delivered opening remarks to reporters — “Our adult customers are telling us they want more reasons to come to McDonald’s,” — the hoopla was left to corporate chef Andrew Selvaggio, who enthusiastically assembled an Arch Deluxe under spotlights while touting each of its ingredients.

Selvaggio, who’d come to McDonald’s from Chicago’s legendary Pump Room, was comfortable with smiling and holding ground beef in his hand. Judging from the social-media commentary, that’s more than could be said for Kempczinski, who appeared ill at ease and unsure of how to hold what he called a “product.”

Among the Instagram comments were: “This dude never eats McDonald’s,” “This is the most unnatural thing I’ve ever seen,” and “He’s no Dave Thomas,” in reference to the late founder of Wendy’s, famous for his folksy delivery on camera.

ADWEEK reached out to McDonald’s for a response. At the time of publication, it did not reply.

There’s another aspect of the Big Arch that harkens back to the Arch Deluxe: the value proposition.

McDonald’s recent resonance with cash-strapped U.S. diners already paid off in the fourth quarter, with year-over-year sales rising 5.7% in the three months to December, buoyed by marketing around cost-conscious bundles such as its holiday Grinch Meal.

By contrast, the 1996 Arch Deluxe proved a disappointment for McDonald’s. Quinlan was gone by 1998, and the burger soon followed.

A big part of the trouble? Aside from the potato bun, just about everything else on the Arch Deluxe (the quarter-pound patty, American cheese, iceberg lettuce, and “secret sauce” of mayo and mustard) could be had with a Big Mac or Quarter Pounder with Cheese, and at a lower price.

Time will tell if the Big Arch fares better this time around. Though some diners have made observations that echo the 1996 criticisms, including one on the McDonald’s subreddit who wrote: “The Big Arch is a Double Quarter Pounder cosplaying as a Big Mac.”