Fast-food giant McDonald’s bets on bigger burgers and nostalgia for 2026 traffic boost

McDonald’s is betting on bigger burgers, viral menu gimmicks and nostalgia to boost traffic in 2026, according to reports.

The fast food giant is rolling out high-profile menu changes this year, including its biggest burger yet, an official “secret menu” and a Pokémon partnership, but not all updates are expected to come to the United States.

McDonald’s has made the Big Arch, a giant double-patty burger, a permanent menu item in the UK and Ireland. The item includes two beef patties, three slices of cheese, lettuce, pickles, onions and the new tangy Big Arch sauce on a poppyseed and sesame bun, according to a news release.

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McDonald’s may be preparing to launch in the US Daily Mail, however, the company has not publicly announced when or if Big Arch will be released nationwide.

When asked about its plans, McDonald’s declined to comment to Fox News Digital.

So far fans are unhappy with the new pricing.

When Big Arch became a permanent menu item overseas, its price rose from £7.99 to £8.79 (about $10 to $11), and according to The Sun, a medium-sized meal cost more than £10, or around $13.

“It was the worst burger I’ve ever had.”

“This is all a rip-off,” one person responding to the announcement of the new product shouted in a social media post. Instagram account Snackolator.

Other reviewers gave mixed reviews of the new Big Arch sauce, with some saying it did not compare to the classic Big Mac version and overall taste.

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“This was the worst burger I’ve ever had,” one Instagram user said, adding that it was “okay” overall.

“So forward-thinking,” commented another.

The Big Arch burger has recently become a permanent menu item in the UK and Ireland. (iStock)

Another part of McDonald’s international rollout is a “secret menu” that turns viral social media food hacks into limited-time offers, according to a news release, but its availability in the U.S. has not been confirmed.

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The range includes mashups such as the Surf N’ Turf burger, Chicken Cheeseburger and the returning Chicken Big Mac, as well as innovative products such as the Espresso Milkshake, Apple Pie Mini McFlurry and Big Mac sauce sold separately as sauces.

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“Some of these concoctions shouldn’t work, but they are oddly good and should be tried to be believed,” Ben Fox, McDonald’s senior vice president and chief marketing officer in the UK and Ireland, said in a statement.

McDonald’s is reportedly turning to nostalgia and pop culture partnerships to increase customer traffic. (Eric Thayer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“This limited-time program celebrates our customers’ creativity that we see every day on social media.”

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Meanwhile, according to reports, the Pokémon-themed Happy Meal, tied to the 30th anniversary of the game series celebrating this year, may also be shipped to the United States.

This pressure comes as consumers pull back from discretionary spending, according to reports. (iStock)

The collaboration has not been officially confirmed but Street reported that the limited-time promotion may include themed packaging and Pokémon trading cards.

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The strategy reflects McDonald’s broader effort to tap into nostalgia and popular partnerships to drive traffic and loyalty at a time when consumers are becoming more cautious about spending, media reported citing a recent earnings release.