McDonald’s CEO did a burger taste test that became a cautionary tale for execs. But there’s a silver lining |
McDonald’s CEO did a burger taste test that became a cautionary tale for execs. But there’s a silver lining
It was supposed to be a victory lap for McDonald’s.
But one small, hesitant bite was all it took to turn the launch into a viral punchline, and hand archrival Burger King a chance to do their own spoof at the CEO’s expense.
In early February, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski posted a seemingly routine video to promote the chain’s new Big Arch Burger—billed as a “love letter” to fans after successful tests in several international markets. On camera, Kempczinski showcased what he referred to as the new “product,” stacked with two patties and a whopping 1,020‑calorie count that amounts to roughly two‑thirds of an adult’s daily intake.
“I don’t even know how to attack it. God, so much to it,” Kempczinski says in the clip. One small nibble later, the chief executive promises viewers he will “enjoy the rest of [his] lunch” off‑screen, adding, “that’s a big bite for a Big Arch.”
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chris Kempczinski (@chrisk_mcd)
A post shared by Chris Kempczinski (@chrisk_mcd)
The innocent taste test went largely unnoticed for weeks until creators began stitching their reactions and flooding social feeds with a storm of memes and satirical posts. “This man does not eat McDonald’s,” comedian Garron Noone quipped in a TikTok video that has racked up over 10 million views. Others commented that the CEO looks more likely to eat a salad than one of his chain’s burgers.
Archrival Burger King seized on the moment immediately, posting a 13-second video of its president, Tom Curtis, taking a large bite of a Whopper. “Thought we’d replay this,” the caption reads. A spokesperson told NBC News, “We can confirm that this video was not created in reaction to anything,” adding, “While the timing may seem quick, the video was part of ongoing efforts to spotlight the recently elevated Whopper and Tom’s direct engagement with Guests.”
Other competitors followed suit, with A&W Restaurants and Wendy’s piling on with their own tongue‑in‑cheek taste‑test spoofs. “This is what it looks like when you don’t have to pretend to like your ‘product,’” Wendy’s wrote in a snarky post after sharing a video of its U.S. President, Pete Suerken, eating a Baconator. The brand even took the burger wars further, announcing a new Chief Tasting Officer gig and offering a $100,000 salary for anyone to make video reviews—no experience or qualifications required.
McDonald’s tried to reclaim the narrative with a winking Instagram post of its own, sharing an image that read, “take a bite of our new product,” with the caption: “can’t believe this got approved.” A McDonald’s spokesperson told Fortune on Thursday, “We’re glad the Big Arch has everyone’s attention,” adding that early sales of the new burger were “beating expectations.”
While critics mocked the gimmick, the video earned Kempczinski attention most executives crave: more followers, more visibility, and a viral moment that put McDonald’s squarely in the social spotlight.
McDonald’s Chief Executive Influencer
Most CEOs avoid that level of online exposure, but the misstep landed harder because Kempczinski has spent years building his social media presence, while other executives shy away from first-person content or delegate their feeds to social media managers, ghostwriters, and corporate........