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McDonald's Big Arch: calories and sugar by portion, age and sex

McDonald's Big Arch burger with two beef patties, white cheddar, crispy onions, lettuce and pickles in a poppy and sesame seed bun

Boone’s analysis puts McDonald's Big Arch at 53% of an adult’s daily calories, 137% of the daily salt limit for a child aged 4 to 6 and 3.8 teaspoons of free sugar.

How many calories are in a McDonald's Big Arch? It contains 1057 kcal, 67g of fat (26g saturated), 15g of sugar and 4.1g of salt, one of the higher-calorie items on the menu.

Build a full meal with our nutrition calculator

Use the Boone meal calculator to build a full meal rather than view this item on its own. Add fries, a drink, dips and a dessert, then choose your age and sex for a more accurate view of how a Big Arch fits into a day.

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Nutrition information

Nutrition information: McDonald's Big Arch

Energy1057 kcal
Fat67g
of which saturates26g
Carbohydrate54g
of which sugars15g
Fibre4g
Salt4.1g
Protein57g

Nutrition figures are McDonald’s UK published data, per item as sold and before any optional sauces or extras. Boone converts them to the portion and age comparisons on this page.

A McDonald's Big Arch contains 1057 kcal, which is 53% of the 2,000 kcal adult daily reference intake. It provides 67g of total fat, of which 26g is saturated, 15g of sugar, 4.1g of salt, 57g of protein and 4g of fibre.

The saturated fat content of 26g represents 130% of the adult daily guideline of 20g.

McDonald's Big Arch is assembled from 8 separately manufactured components, combined at the point of sale. The poppy and sesame seed bun alone carries 6 different classes of additive. Across the whole item the ingredient list names anti-caking agents, antioxidants, dextrose, emulsifiers, firming agents, flavourings, modified starches, preservatives, stabilisers and thickeners. None of these add nutritional value. They exist to make the item survive industrial production, freezing and transport.

McDonald's Big Arch carries a large share of a child’s daily salt

A McDonald's Big Arch contains 4.1g of salt, which is 137% of the daily limit for a child aged 4 to 6. It is also high in saturated fat.

Adult daily reference intakes (Reference Intake, RI)

Calories2,000 kcal
Total fat70g
Saturated fat20g
Carbohydrate260g
Sugars90g
Fibre30g
Salt6g
Protein50g

Sugar in McDonald's Big Arch

McDonald's Big Arch contains 15g of free sugar per standard serving (3.8 teaspoons). Moderate sugar

The NHS free sugar limit is 30g per day for adults, 24g for children aged 7 to 10, and 19g for children aged 4 to 6. Free sugar excludes the sugars naturally present in milk and whole fruit. The table below shows how this compares across all age groups.

Free sugar by portion: McDonald's Big Arch

PortionAdult (female)
30g		Adult (male)
30g		Age 11 to 17
30g		Age 7 to 10
24g		Age 4 to 6
19g
Per portion15g
50%		15g
50%		15g
50%		15g
62%		15g
79%
Teaspoons3.8 tsp

Boone calculates these percentages from McDonald's UK published nutrition data against UK Dietary Reference Values and NHS free sugar and salt limits. Free sugar, salt, calories and saturated fat are limits to stay under; fibre is a target to reach, so a high percentage there is a good thing. For guidance only.

Salt in McDonald's Big Arch

McDonald's Big Arch contains 4.1g of salt per standard serving. Moderate salt

Children have lower salt limits: 3g per day for ages 4 to 6, 5g for ages 7 to 10. The table below shows how this serving compares to daily limits for adults and children.

Salt by portion: McDonald's Big Arch

PortionAdult (female)
6g		Adult (male)
6g		Age 11 to 17
6g		Age 7 to 10
5g		Age 4 to 6
3g
Per portion4.1g
68%		4.1g
68%		4.1g
68%		4.1g
82%		4.1g
137%

Boone calculates these percentages from McDonald's UK published nutrition data against UK Dietary Reference Values and NHS free sugar and salt limits. Free sugar, salt, calories and saturated fat are limits to stay under; fibre is a target to reach, so a high percentage there is a good thing. For guidance only.

Calories in McDonald's Big Arch

McDonald's Big Arch contains 1057 kcal per standard serving. Moderate calorie share

Daily calorie needs vary by age and sex. The table below shows how this serving compares to typical daily reference intakes.

Calories by portion: McDonald's Big Arch

PortionAdult (female)
2000 kcal		Adult (male)
2500 kcal		Age 11 to 17
1936 kcal		Age 7 to 10
1553 kcal		Age 4 to 6
1291 kcal
Per portion1057 kcal
53%		1057 kcal
42%		1057 kcal
55%		1057 kcal
68%		1057 kcal
82%

Boone calculates these percentages from McDonald's UK published nutrition data against UK Dietary Reference Values and NHS free sugar and salt limits. Free sugar, salt, calories and saturated fat are limits to stay under; fibre is a target to reach, so a high percentage there is a good thing. For guidance only.

Saturated fat in McDonald's Big Arch

McDonald's Big Arch contains 26g of saturated fat per standard serving. High saturated fat

The saturated fat guideline is 20g a day for women and 30g for men, and lower again for children. The table below shows how this serving compares.

Saturated fat by portion: McDonald's Big Arch

PortionAdult (female)
20g		Adult (male)
30g		Age 11 to 17
20g		Age 7 to 10
18g		Age 4 to 6
16g
Per portion26g
130%		26g
87%		26g
130%		26g
144%		26g
162%

Boone calculates these percentages from McDonald's UK published nutrition data against UK Dietary Reference Values and NHS free sugar and salt limits. Free sugar, salt, calories and saturated fat are limits to stay under; fibre is a target to reach, so a high percentage there is a good thing. For guidance only.

Fibre in McDonald's Big Arch

McDonald's Big Arch contains 4g of fibre per standard serving. Some fibre

Fibre is the one figure here that is a target to reach rather than a limit to stay under. UK guidance is 30g a day for adults, 25g for ages 11 to 17, 20g for ages 7 to 10 and 15g for ages 4 to 6. Most people in the UK fall well short. The table below shows how much of a day’s fibre this serving provides.

Fibre by portion: McDonald's Big Arch

PortionAdult (female)
30g		Adult (male)
30g		Age 11 to 17
25g		Age 7 to 10
20g		Age 4 to 6
15g
Per portion4g
13%		4g
13%		4g
16%		4g
20%		4g
27%

Boone calculates these percentages from McDonald's UK published nutrition data against UK Dietary Reference Values and NHS free sugar and salt limits. Free sugar, salt, calories and saturated fat are limits to stay under; fibre is a target to reach, so a high percentage there is a good thing. For guidance only.

Free sugar vs total sugar

Where the sugar comes from: McDonald's Big Arch

Effectively all 15g counts as free sugar, or about 3.8 teaspoons against the daily limit. There is a small amount of naturally occurring sugar too, listed below, but it is not enough to change the figure.

Free (added) sugars come from

  • dextrose, sugar in the poppy and sesame seed bun
  • sugar in the Big Arch sauce
  • dextrose in the crispy onions

Naturally occurring sugars come from

  • lactose in the white cheddar slices
  • sugars naturally present in the lettuce
  • sugars naturally present in the onions

NHS daily free sugar limits: 30g for adults and children 11+, 24g age 7 to 10, 19g age 4 to 6. Sources are read from the published ingredient list for each component.

Ultra-processed food: what is really in it

Processing and additives: McDonald's Big Arch

McDonald's Big Arch is assembled from 8 separately manufactured components, combined and cooked at the point of sale. Reading the ingredient list closely, it contains anti-caking agents, antioxidants, dextrose, emulsifiers, firming agents, flavourings, modified starches, preservatives, stabilisers and thickeners. These are not there to add nutritional value. They make industrial production and distribution possible.

Anti-caking agents

Stop powders and sliced products sticking together. Found in the white cheddar slices.

Antioxidants

Slow the natural oxidation of fats, so components keep their colour and flavour. Found in the poppy and sesame seed bun.

Dextrose

A simple sugar used for browning, bulk and mild sweetness. Found in the poppy and sesame seed bun, crispy onions.

Emulsifiers

Help oil-based and water-based ingredients blend and stay blended. Found in the poppy and sesame seed bun, white cheddar slices.

Firming agents

Keep processed vegetables crisp after packing. Found in the pickle slices.

Flavourings

Add or restore taste lost during processing. Found in the poppy and sesame seed bun, Big Arch sauce, pickle slices.

Modified starches

Thicken and hold water in a way unmodified flour cannot. Found in the Big Arch sauce.

Preservatives

Slow the growth of bacteria, yeasts and moulds in centrally prepared components. Found in the beef patty, pickle slices.

Stabilisers

Stop mixtures separating and hold texture during storage and transport. Found in the poppy and sesame seed bun, Big Arch sauce.

Thickeners

Give sauces and syrups the body they would otherwise lack. Found in the poppy and sesame seed bun, Big Arch sauce.

Boone classifies McDonald's Big Arch as NOVA group 4, ultra-processed, based on the additives named above. NOVA groups foods by how far they are from their whole-food form, not by how nutritious they are. A group 4 food is not automatically unhealthy, and a group 1 food is not automatically healthy. Read from the published ingredient list, 17-18 August 2026.

A McDonald's Big Arch contains at least 38 distinct ingredients: 27 raw and 11 manufactured. Ordered as a full meal with a dip and a dessert that reaches 62, of which 26 are manufactured. Raw means something you could buy and cook with at home; manufactured means a substance that only exists as an output of industrial processing.

Ingredient count by order: McDonald's Big Arch

What you orderRawManufacturedTotal% manufactured
McDonald's Big Arch on its own27113829%
McDonald's Big Arch + medium fries29114028%
McDonald's Big Arch + fries + a dip31195038%
McDonald's Big Arch + fries + dip + a medium Coca-Cola32225441%
McDonald's Big Arch + fries + dip + drink + an Oreo McFlurry36266242%

The 11 manufactured ingredients

dextrin, dextrose, emulsifying salts, glaze, guar gum, lecithins, maize starch, modified maize starch, mustard flour, pea protein, xanthan gum.

The 27 raw ingredients

butter, cheddar, cheese, egg yolk, gherkins, iceberg lettuce, lemon juice concentrate, made with 126g of onion per 100g of fried onion, milk, milk proteins, milk solids, onion, palm oil, pepper, poppy seeds, pure beef, rapeseed oil, rice flour, salt, sesame seeds, spirit vinegar, sugar, tomato puree, water, wheat flour, white onions, yeast.

What those ingredients are, by type

Meat, fish, dairy and eggs7
Fruit and vegetables6
Grains and flours5
Oils and fats3
Starches3
Sugars and syrups2
Stabilisers and thickeners2
Acids and acidity regulators1
Salt and minerals1

Boone counts every distinct named ingredient on McDonald’s published component lists, including sub-ingredients, and removes duplicates, so salt appearing in four components counts once. Additive class names are dropped and the named substance kept, so “stabiliser (guar gum)” counts guar gum once. Raw covers whole foods and basic kitchen staples such as flour, sugar, salt and oil. Manufactured covers substances that only exist as an output of industrial processing. Where McDonald’s lists more than one approved supplier recipe only the primary one is counted, so every figure here is a minimum. The build uses a Sweet and Sour dip.

Ingredients

McDonald's Big Arch is assembled from 8 separately manufactured components.

Ingredients by component: McDonald's Big Arch

Poppy and sesame seed bun

WHEAT flour, water, sugar, rapeseed oil, SESAME seeds, glaze (water, pea protein, dextrose, maize starch), salt, yeast, poppy seeds, natural flavourings, emulsifier, thickener (guar gum), antioxidant.

Beef patty

100% pure beef, seasoned with salt and pepper after cooking, with no additives, fillers, binders, preservatives or flavour enhancers.

White cheddar slices

cheddar (51%) (MILK), water, cheese (9%) (MILK), milk solids (MILK), butter (MILK), emulsifying salts, MILK proteins, salt, anti-caking agent (lecithins).

Big Arch sauce

tomato puree, rapeseed oil, water, spirit vinegar, sugar, EGG yolk, MUSTARD flour, modified maize starch, spices, salt, lemon juice concentrate, natural flavouring, thickener (xanthan gum).

Crispy onions

onion, vegetable oil (palm, rapeseed), WHEAT flour, dextrin, salt, rice flour, dextrose, made with 126g of onion per 100g of fried onion.

Onions

100% white onions.

Lettuce

100% iceberg lettuce.

Pickle slices

gherkins, water, spirit vinegar, salt, firming agent, natural flavouring, preservative.

McDonald’s lists more than one approved supplier formulation for the poppy and sesame seed bun and white cheddar slices; the version shown is the primary one and the allergen information covers all variants. Ingredients taken from the McDonald’s UK product pages, retrieved 17-18 August 2026. Recipes change - always check in restaurant before ordering if you have an allergy.

Allergens at a glance

McDonald's Big Arch contains wheat, sesame, milk, eggs and mustard.

Allergen information: McDonald's Big Arch

AllergenStatus
WheatContains
RyeMay contain traces
BarleyMay contain traces
OatsNot present
SesameContains
SoyaNot present
MilkContains
EggsContains
FishNot present
CrustaceansNot present
CeleryNot present
MustardContains
MolluscsNot present
LupinNot present

Contains = declared as an ingredient. May contain traces = McDonald's states the allergen cannot be excluded. McDonald's prepares food in kitchens where all 14 major allergens are present and equipment is shared, so no item can be guaranteed allergen free, even when ingredients are removed on request. Buns, rolls and tortilla wraps are toasted in the same toaster as sesame-topped buns. Retrieved 17-18 August 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories are in a McDonald's Big Arch?+

Boone calculates that a McDonald's Big Arch contains 1057 kcal, which is 53% of an adult’s 2,000 kcal daily reference intake and 82% of the daily intake for a child aged 4 to 6.

How much sugar is in a McDonald's Big Arch?+

Boone calculates that all 15g of the sugar in a McDonald's Big Arch is free sugar, or about 3.8 teaspoons. There is no dairy or whole fruit in it to hold any of it back.

How much of a child’s daily sugar limit is a McDonald's Big Arch?+

Boone measures the 15g of free sugar in a McDonald's Big Arch against NHS limits: 79% of the daily allowance for a child aged 4 to 6, 62% for ages 7 to 10, and 50% for an adult.

How much saturated fat is in a McDonald's Big Arch?+

A McDonald's Big Arch contains 26g of saturated fat. Boone calculates this as 130% of the daily guideline for an adult woman and 87% for an adult man, because the guideline differs by sex: 20g and 30g respectively.

How much salt is in a McDonald's Big Arch?+

A McDonald's Big Arch contains 4.1g of salt. Boone calculates that as 137% of the daily limit for a child aged 4 to 6 and 68% of an adult’s 6g limit.

Is a McDonald's Big Arch ultra-processed?+

Boone classifies a McDonald's Big Arch as NOVA group 4. Reading the published ingredient list, it is assembled from 8 separately manufactured components and contains anti-caking agents, antioxidants, dextrose, emulsifiers, firming agents, flavourings, modified starches, preservatives, stabilisers and thickeners. NOVA group 4 describes how far a food is from its whole-food form, not how nutritious it is.

How much fibre is in a McDonald's Big Arch?+

A McDonald's Big Arch contains 4g of fibre. Boone calculates that as 13% of an adult’s 30g daily target and 27% of the 15g target for a child aged 4 to 6. Fibre is a target to reach rather than a limit to stay under.

Is a McDonald's Big Arch suitable for children?+

Boone’s analysis flags that its 4.1g of salt is 137% of that age group’s daily limit; its 26g of saturated fat is 162% of their daily guideline. That does not make it off limits, but it does mean a Big Arch uses up a large share of a young child’s day in one item.

How much protein is in a McDonald's Big Arch?+

A McDonald's Big Arch contains 57g of protein, which Boone calculates as 114% of a 50g adult daily target.