McDonald's is testing a burger made with fresh beef, called the Archburger, at a handful of locations.

The burger seems to be a revamped version of the Arch Deluxe, a McDonald's flop from the late 1990s.

The New York Times reported that McDonald's spent an estimated $200 million advertising the Arch Deluxe in 1996 before discontinuing the burger, which was designed to win over more sophisticated customers.

When it debuted, the burger was slightly pricier than other McDonald's fare. But now it's comparably cheaper.



McDonald's is testing a new take on a high-profile flop.

The fast-food chain recently began a test of Archburgers made with fresh beef at a handful of restaurants, McDonald's confirmed to Business Insider. A note from the Nomura analyst Mark Kalinowski says it's testing the fresh-beef burger at seven locations in Oklahoma and Texas.

With the test, it appears the chain's Arch Sauce, a mustard-mayo combination, has returned to the menu. The sauce debuted in 1996 a topping for the Arch Deluxe, a sandwich aimed at more sophisticated and "adult" customers.

A Big Mac. Hollis Johnson/Business Insider

McDonald's spent an estimated $150 million to $200 million advertising the Arch Deluxe's rollout — at the time the most expensive promotional campaign in fast-food history, The New York Times reported.

Though the fast-food chain's executives had predicted it would bring in $1 billion in sales in 1996, the burger — which at $2.09 to $2.49 was on par with or pricier than typical McDonald's fare — failed to win over customers and was discontinued in the late '90s.

Now, McDonald's is once again trying to use Arch Sauce to appeal to more gourmet-minded customers, pairing it with fresh beef in the Archburger. But this time, an Archburger with cheese, pickles, onions, and the sauce is cheaper, starting at $2.19. For comparison, a Big Mac costs about $4.

"We are continuing to raise the bar for our customers with new menu items and ways to experience our brand," said Becca Hary, a McDonald's representative.