The McDonald’s Big Tasty Has Landed (But US Customers Might Be Disappointed)

There are plenty of McDonald’s burgers that have a rich, full life around the world, without ever landing in the United States. The Big Tasty is one of them. This sandwich, which is crucially different from the former Big N’ Tasty available from 1997 to 2011, has long been a recurring staple at various international McDonald’s. Here in the UK, it’s been around since 2003, and while it’s no longer a permanent menu item, it pops up almost every year, especially around the holidays. 

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Well, turns out that 2026 is the year that North America finally gets its hands on the Big Tasty. The only problem is that only one country will get to try it – and it’s not the US.

McDonald’s Big Tasty: The North American Debut

The Big Tasty has just made its North American premiere at McDonald’s Canada, where the burger is now available for a limited time at participating restaurants. According to its website, the sandwich consists of a 100% Canadian beef patty with two slices of white processed cheese, tomato slices, shredded lettuce, slivered onions, and Big Tasty sauce. It looks pretty much identical to the versions sold elsewhere around the world, although here, the “white processed” cheese may be ever-so-slightly different (in the UK, McDonald’s uses a processed Emmental – it may just be a wording thing here, though). 

McDonald’s Canada customers can also grab a Double Big Tasty, which has two beef patties and three slices of cheese. It looks as though McDonald’s has opted for a quarter-pounder patty here, as opposed to a ⅓-pound one. Previously, the Big Tasty used the latter, before it changed patty size, leaving a lot of customers frustrated. 

And How Does It Taste?

Well, some first-hand knowledge here: I’ve had the Big Tasty a handful of times, and every time I’ve not been blown away. It’s a nice enough burger, and the sauce has a pleasant smokiness and pepperiness to it that sets it apart from a Big Mac. But it is, for all intents and purposes, a quarter pounder with slightly different toppings. It’s a good sandwich, but it doesn’t set the world alight. 

So far, Canadian customers seem to feel the same – although they’re arguably slightly less enthused. Over on Reddit, reviews have ranged from “nothing special” to “it’s terrible.” It’s certainly got a novelty factor, insofar as it brings a new name to the menu, but it’s safe to say it may not become a fan favorite. 

And Why Isn’t It Available In The US?

That much is unclear. Perhaps its name is just too similar to the Big N’ Tasty, and introducing it risks confusion. The two burgers, incidentally, are fairly similar, although they do have different sauces and toppings. It’s also not unusual for fast food chains to have location-specific items to avoid menu bloat in one specific place: Here in the UK, for instance, we don’t have the McDouble. It looks unlikely that the Big Tasty will land in the US any time soon…but hey. Who knows. These things happen when you least expect it.