Here’s why the biggest size you can get at McDonald's is just a large
The Real Reason McDonald’s Got Rid of the Supersized Menu
Updated on May 28, 2025
“Would you like that supersized?” You won’t have heard a McDonald’s employee ask that question since the fast-food chain took the supersize option off their menu in 2004. But bigger is better, right? So why did McDonald’s get rid of supersize? Keep reading, and we’ll get into the details about McD’s disappearing menu items.
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Why McDonald’s got rid of the supersize
It all boils down to menu size. If you’re a frequent customer at the Golden Arches, you know their menu is constantly changing—new items are added, and others are removed. Supersized fries and drinks weren’t making them as much money as they hoped, so they took the options off the menu in 2004, but still kept their secret menu items available for purchase.
“The driving force here was menu simplification,” McDonald’s spokesman Walt Riker said at the time. “The fact of the matter is not very many supersize fries are sold.” Also, it takes the employees longer to prepare bigger portions, slowing down their fast service. Bottom line, if it’s not a McDonald’s bestseller and doesn’t make the company more money, it just isn’t worth it.
McDonald’s also got rid of their supersize menu as part of the company’s “Eat Smart, Be Active” initiative. To keep sales up, the company knew they had to appeal to American consumers who were choosing healthier food options. So they switched up their menu.
Some people wonder if supersize at McDonald’s will ever come back? So far, the answer is no.
But even though you can no longer supersize at McDonald’s, their portions are still fairly large, so customers aren’t missing out on much. And if you’re feeling extra hungry, just get an extra order of those addictive McDonald’s fries.
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Sources:
- CBS News: “McDonald’s Scrapping ‘Supersize'”
- Entrepreneur: “McDonald’s Phasing Out Supersize Fries, Drinks”
