It is not often that a Big Mac is the virtuous choice. On Friday, Nov. 13, McDonald’s restaurants across Costa Rica will hold Gran DÃa, an annual fundraiser in which all proceeds from every Big Mac sold go to charity. For one day a year, a double stack of beef and special sauce qualifies as philanthropy, and ordering two is practically a moral obligation.
This year Arcos Dorados, which operates the chain in Costa Rica, has set a goal of 75,000 Big Macs at its 81 restaurants nationwide. Last year’s edition sold 68,353 sandwiches and raised about 180 million colones, or roughly $398,000. The money is divided equally between two programs. Half goes to Casa Ronald McDonald, which houses families whose children are being treated at the Hospital Nacional de Niños in San José.
The house gives each family a room for as long as treatment lasts, along with four meals a day, psychological support, social work services and other activities during their stay. It also works with the Ministry of Public Education so that brothers and sisters of hospitalized children can keep up with school.
Most of the families come from rural and remote areas, and for them that support can last for months. Some have stayed more than a year. The house served more than 1,000 families in 2025, and in the first half of 2026 it had already welcomed 482 families and served more than 30,000 meals. According to the foundation, Gran DÃa accounts for roughly half of what the house raises from the private sector each year.
One of those families is that of Zoé Victoria Hernández, a 7-year-old from Santa Rosa de Turrialba who has undergone 16 surgeries for congenital conditions. Her family first turned to the house while her mother was still pregnant and has been connected to it for more than seven years.
The other half of the proceeds goes to YouthCan!, a program run by Aldeas Infantiles SOS that prepares young people between 15 and 24 for the workforce through career guidance, job skills training and first work placements. Since 2017, more than 3,900 young people have completed its training and 880 have gained their first work experience. Gran DÃa covers about 90 percent of the program’s funding.
Among its participants are siblings Saray and Josué Carvajal. Saray now studies business administration at the University of Costa Rica, while Josué is pursuing a technical degree in criminology and has completed an internship. There are two ways to take part. Customers can buy a Big Mac at any McDonald’s on Nov. 13, including through AutoMac or the McDonald’s app.
Coupons are also on sale now at restaurants, through AutoMac and in the app for anyone who wants to contribute ahead of time. Restaurants will host special activities with guest personalities throughout the day. Nutritionists may want to look away. For everyone else, it is a rare chance to do some good without giving up anything at all, except perhaps the salad you were planning to have.
Most charity drives ask you to sacrifice something. This one just asks you to order lunch.
