The McDonald's Fan Who's Eaten Over 30,000 Big Macs Isn't Impressed By This Menu Item

Be honest: How many McDonald's Big Macs have you eaten during your lifetime? Two? Ten? Maybe 20? In the immortal words of Matthew McConaughey, "Gotta pump those numbers up. Those are rookie numbers in this racket." Take, for example, Don Gorske, resident of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin and bona fide lover of all things Big Mac (the burger that changed everything for the Golden Arches). Gorske estimates that he's eaten at least one burger every day for more than 54 years, which totals an estimated 36,000 Big Macs over the course of his life. Gorske is a Guinness World Record holder thanks to his voracious appetite and has become a bit of an expert where McDonald's burgers are concerned.

In March 2026, The Guardian approached Gorske to get his take on the Big Arch, the chain's latest burger. The Big Mac aficionado took issue with the new sandwich's hefty size, saying, "I'm sure it's great for people that are younger, but for me, it's like eating a steak or something." Gorske also clarified, "I just think the Big Mac is better." In case you're not hip to the latest fast food burger launches, McDonald's Big Mac and Big Arch differ in several ways, from the inclusion of mustard and ketchup in the latter's special sauce to its use of ¼-pound beef patties, which make for a far mightier burger.

While he's best known as the man who eats Big Macs every day, Don Gorske insists that he's just a regular guy with a very unusual interest. What could possibly drive a mere mortal to make eating Big Macs his life's mission? According to a 2025 interview with the Milwaukee Record, Gorske had his first Big Mac in 1972. The Guinness World Record holder was personally invited to try the menu item by the owner of a McDonald's franchise Gorske knew from his job at a local country club. Gorske loved the burger so much that he wound up consuming nine Big Macs that day. He remains committed to the food and even keeps frozen Big Macs around, some of which are over 18 years old.

Gorske's Big Mac devotion may explain his less-than-impressed reaction to the Big Arch, but since its launch, the burger has been having a rough go. Most early chatter revolved around the cringe promotional video put out by McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski, who appeared reluctant to bite into the burger. Then there's the cost of the Big Arch, which is on offer at our local Mickey D's for $9.39 (or $12.99 as part of a meal). According to a McDonald's customer who posted to Reddit, "[The Big Arch is] ok. Too expensive for what it is." A commenter co-signed this sentiment, writing, "I just had one. I was not all that impressed. I didn't think the sauce was that good."