Economic conditions & trends

McDonald's CEO's Video Sparks Viral Burger War With Rivals

Did McDonald's CEO succeed in his direct-to-consumer strategy or did Burger King's CEO win the viral burger battle?

Published MAR 6

McDonald's CEO's Video Sparks Viral Burger War With Rivals

Story

Above: McDonald's Big Arch beef burger ad outside a restaurant on Oxford Street, London, on March 1, 2026. Image credit: Mike Kemp/In Pictures/Getty Images

The Facts

Chris Kempczinski, CEO of McDonald's, posted a video last month tasting the company’s new Big Arch burger, which launched in the U.S. on Tuesday. The burger features two quarter-pound beef patties, three slices of white cheddar, crispy and raw onions, lettuce, pickles and Big Arch Sauce on a toasted sesame- and poppy seed-coated bun.
Chris Kempczinski on Instagram
McDonald's on X
McDonald's
The video received widespread attention online, with viewers commenting on Kempczinski repeatedly referring to the burger as a "product" and taking what many described as an unusually "small bite." The clip garnered over 10 million views and sparked numerous parody videos on social media platforms.
afaqs!
The Times of India
Mashable
Burger King then responded by posting a video of President Tom Curtis taking a large bite of a Whopper cheeseburger. The chain recently announced the first major revamp of the Whopper in nearly a decade, featuring a more premium bun, "better tasting" mayonnaise and new box packaging instead of paper wrapping.
Burger King on Instagram
USA Today
People
North Vancouver-based A&W Food Services of Canada joined the online exchange on Wednesday with a video featuring Allen Lulu, the brand's commercial personality, sampling the Teen Burger. Lulu wore clothing similar to Kempczinski's outfit and jokingly referred to the burger as a "product" before taking a sizeable bite.
A&W Canada on Instagram
Vancouver Sun
Wendy’s president, Pete Suerken, also posted his own video eating a Baconator. The company emphasized its use of fresh, never frozen beef and referenced its machines always working — widely interpreted as a comment directed at McDonald's — adding in the caption that, "this is what it looks like when you don’t have to pretend to like your 'product'.”
Wendy's on X
HustleBitch on X
Hindustan Times
McDonald's comparable U.S. sales rose 6.8% in the three-month period ending Dec. 31, 2025, marking the biggest jump in roughly two years, attributed to its McValue menu and meal deals. Burger King also saw sales increase 2.6% in U.S. restaurants during the same period with its own value meal offerings.
USA Today
The Wall Street Journal

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

The Big Arch burger is genuinely delicious, and Kempczinski's authentic, disciplined approach to promoting McDonald's products deserves respect rather than mockery. His direct-to-consumer social media strategy effectively reaches the company's 2 million employees and franchise owners who value his business insights. The viral criticism misses the point that a CEO can maintain personal health while genuinely appreciating the food his company produces.

Business Insider

Narrative B

Burger King's CEO completely dominated McDonald's in the viral burger battle by taking a real bite and showing genuine enthusiasm for BK's signature Whopper. The contrast between Curtis's authentic charisma and Kempczinski's robotic delivery about a "product" shifted the entire fast-food power dynamic overnight. This organic moment delivered more marketing value than any public relations campaign could ever manufacture.

Alex Cohen on X