A promotional video of McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski tasting the new Big Arch burger has gone viral, prompting rival chains to post their own executive taste tests. Executives from Burger King, Wendy's, and KFC joined in, turning the moment into an online food rivalry. The trend highlights how social media influences fast-food marketing.
The sequence began with Chris Kempczinski, CEO of McDonald's, posting a short video on social media where he tries the chain's newly launched Big Arch burger, which features a big bun and two patties and rolled out nationally in the United States. In the clip, he holds up the sandwich, takes a bite, and says, “That’s a big bite for a Big Arch.” The video quickly amassed millions of views, with commenters noting the small bite size and Kempczinski appearing nervous, one joking that he looked “afraid of it” and another mocking his reference to the burger as a “product.”
Burger King responded soon after with a video featuring Tom Curtis, president of Burger King U.S. and Canada, taking a large bite of a Whopper without hesitation, followed by a satisfied nod. The post's caption read, “Thought we’d replay this,” and a comment stated, “We couldn’t finish it either,” garnering tens of thousands of likes. Burger King later clarified that the timing was coincidental and not intended as a direct response.
Wendy's entered the fray with U.S. president Pete Suerken in a video cooking and eating a Baconator, emphasizing the chain's slogan, “Fresh, never frozen.” He takes several large bites and declares, “This is exactly what a good hamburger should be.” The clip includes a light-hearted reference to making a Frosty, noting that the ice-cream machine is working—a nod to ongoing jokes about McDonald's soft-serve machine reliability, tracked by dedicated websites.
KFC, despite focusing on chicken, participated through U.S. president Catherine Tan-Gillespie eating a chicken sandwich. She grins and says, “Heard everyone’s talking about beef this week,” adding, “At KFC we’ll leave that beef to the boys.”
This exchange reflects a broader shift in fast-food marketing, where executives now appear in casual videos to connect personally online, evolving from historical “burger wars” advertising battles in the 1980s. The original promotional clip sparked a week of playful interactions among these major chains, drawing millions of viewers to corporate leaders' on-camera meals.