Fast food giant McDonald's has unveiled a sweeping overhaul of its UK menu for the start of 2026, headlined by the launch of its first official 'secret menu' and the highly anticipated return of the colossal Big Arch burger. The chain, which refreshes its offering every six weeks, is rolling out a wave of limited-edition items that turn popular customer hacks into reality.
The Inaugural Secret Menu Arrives
For the first time in the UK, McDonald's is formalising beloved fan creations with a dedicated secret menu. This innovative move brings four cult items to the counter, available from January 5, 2026. Leading the line is the Surf N' Turf Burger (£4.39 alone, £6.89 medium meal), a hybrid designed for indecisive diners. It combines two British & Irish beef patties with a crispy Alaskan Pollock fish fillet, cheese, onions, pickles, mustard, and ketchup.
Similarly, the Chicken Cheeseburger (£3.89 alone, £6.39 meal) merges a beef patty with a crispy chicken patty, cheese, and classic sauces. For dessert, the Apple Pie Mini McFlurry (£2.99) pairs warm apple pie with soft-serve ice cream and caramel sauce. Coffee lovers can customise their shake with the Espresso Milkshake (£3.69), served with a separate shot of espresso to stir in.
In a landmark move, McDonald's is also selling its iconic Big Mac Sauce in a dipping pot for 20p, allowing fans to dunk fries and McNuggets to their heart's content.
Returning Favourites and New Additions
The menu revolution extends far beyond the secret items. The behemoth Big Arch burger makes a comeback, boasting a larger size than a Big Mac with two Quarter Pounder patties, special Big Arch sauce, crispy and raw onions, lettuce, pickles, and three slices of white cheddar in a toasted sesame and poppy seed bun.
Other notable returns include the Chicken Big Mac (£5.59 alone, £7.39 meal), the Fajita Chicken One wrap, and the Galaxy Smooth Caramel McFlurry. New sides include Chilli Cheese Bites served with a tomato dip.
A Look Back at Recent Limited Editions
The start of 2026 follows a busy period of limited-time offers. Throughout late 2025, McDonald's ran a festive 'Grinch' promotion until January 4, featuring a special Grinch Meal (£9.09) with mismatched socks, Grinched McShaker Fries with gherkin seasoning, a green Grumble Pie, and themed McFlurries.
Prior to that, the 'World Heist' menu from October 22 to November 25, 2025, imported global favourites like Canada's Maple BBQ & Bacon Double Quarter Pounder, Australia's Pineapple McSpicy, Japan's Garlic & Black Pepper McNuggets, and Indonesia's Choco Caramel Pie.
The chain's menu evolution is constant, with recent history including the launch of a Sausage Sandwich for breakfast, the brief appearance and sudden removal of a Caramel Loaded McFlurry due to a quality issue in September 2025, and the UK debut of the American Shamrock Shake in March 2025.
This latest expansive update demonstrates McDonald's UK's continued strategy of driving excitement through frequent menu innovation, leveraging customer nostalgia, and testing global culinary trends to keep patrons coming back for new experiences.
