"One Burger Isn't Enough"... 'Bigger Is Better' Burgers Evolve

'Big Burgers' Weighing 350g and Packing 800+ Calories
Two Patties Are Standard... Up to Four in Total

“Big burgers” with two or more patties are gaining popularity. The “bigger is better” trend appears to have spread to the hamburger market. As competition expands beyond price to include generous portions and flavor, burgers seem to be getting bigger.

According to industry sources on Oct. 28, burger brands including McDonald’s, Burger King, Lotteria and Mom’s Touch are all selling big burgers with two or more patties. As “lunchflation” driven by rising prices has worsened, the brands have responded to consumers’ complaints that hamburgers—now a popular value-for-money meal—are not filling enough.

McDonald's Big Arch, Burger King's Monster Maximum, Lotteria Double Hanwoo Bulgogi Burger, and Mom's Touch Ssaipeullekseu Burger (from left).

A typical burger weighs about 170–230g and contains around 500–700kcal. While that provides enough calories for a meal, consumers have long complained that burgers do not offer enough satiety for the price. Some have even said, “One burger isn’t enough.” In response to customer requests for more filling burgers, even if they cost more, brands have launched big burgers with extra patties.

McDonald’s recently introduced the Big Arch, made with an 11.4cm bun, two 113g pure beef patties and three slices of cheese. McDonald’s already sold the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese (275g), which also has two 113g pure beef patties, but it is smaller than the Big Arch, which weighs 370g. First tested in Portugal, Germany and Canada in 2024, the Big Arch has since been rolled out in several other countries. In France, it was McDonald’s top-selling large burger last year. The Big Arch costs 12,400 won on its own and 13,900 won as a set.

In August this year, Burger King launched the Monster Maximum, a new product that combines chicken and beef patties. Customers can vary the number of beef patties and add up to four patties in total; the standard version comes with one chicken patty and one beef patty. Burger King continues to add products to its Maximum series, including one stacked with up to four patties and four slices of cheese. The pure beef patties in the Monster Maximum weigh 115g each, and the burger weighs 376g. It costs 11,900 won on its own and 14,100 won as a set. The product was developed in-house by Burger King Korea.

Lotteria’s flagship big burger is the Double Hanwoo Bulgogi Burger. It contains two 115g patties made with domestic Hanwoo beef. Lotteria is the only burger brand to use Hanwoo beef in its patties. In addition to the Double Hanwoo Bulgogi Burger, Lotteria also offers a Double Burger lineup with two patties. The Double Hanwoo Bulgogi Burger weighs 352g and costs 13,200 won on its own or 15,200 won as a set.

Mom’s Touch introduced the Thigh Flex Burger as a limited-time item in 2021 and later made it a permanent menu item. Based on the brand’s bestseller, the Thigh Burger, it comes with two whole chicken thigh patties as standard and weighs 406g. The Thigh Flex Burger costs 8,700 won on its own and 11,400 won as a set.

According to the “2025 Food Consumption Behavior Survey” published by the Korea Rural Economic Institute, after food taste, price was the most important factor families considered when choosing a restaurant. The survey also found that price was the next most important consideration after food taste when people dining with acquaintances or alone chose a restaurant.

An industry official said, “As hamburgers have become a go-to value-for-money meal, these products are the result of development efforts to meet growing customer demand and satisfy a wider range of customer needs while offering a distinctive brand experience. As competition in the hamburger market intensifies, the trend may have shifted toward big burgers as brands seek to offer distinctive products and attract a broader range of customers.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.