If you've been wondering why you've been craving a hamburger lately, it's because there is some seriously beefy energy in the air. After McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski posted a video of himself taste-testing the brand’s new Big Arch burger last month, he got roasted online by the public and the brand's competitors.
In the viral clip, Kempczinski has some seriously awkward energy as he declares with an untrustworthy tone, "I love this product, it is so good. I'm gonna do a tasting right now, but I'm gonna eat this for my lunch, just so you know." He then takes a comically tiny bite, adding, “Mm, that is so good.”
The video has over 6M views, and other brands jumped in immediately. Burger King's social media team commented, “We couldn’t finish it either," racking up nearly 71,000 likes before it was seemingly deleted. Subway Singapore added, "We have something fresher you can bite into" while "Wingstop Canada wrote, "Is the big bite in the room with us?"
Then, on the exact day the Big Arch hit menus, Burger King posted a video of its president, Tom Curtis, eating a Whopper. “Thought we’d replay this,” the caption read.
What's interesting is how many other brands showed love for Burger King, clearly choosing sides: "Wear the crown for a reason," Popeyes commented. "If it doesn't get all over the place, it doesn't belong in your face," Carl's Jr. added.
A spokesperson later insisted it wasn’t connected to the spat, saying the video was part of ongoing efforts to spotlight the Whopper and leadership engagement.
Wendy’s was next. On LinkedIn, the brand posted a video of its U.S. president biting into a burger with the caption, “Lots of chatter this week about burgers. Thought we’d remind everyone what fresh, never frozen tastes like.”
Then it doubled down on X: “This is what it looks like when you don’t have to pretend to like your ‘product.’”
They also shared a screenshot from Kempczinski's video on Instagram, announcing they have a new position open, writing in the caption, "Our first Chief Tasting Officer application is in, and let's just say the bar is LOW. Apply now and make your video more than a McNibble."
A&W Canada even entered the chat. The brand released a parody video featuring longtime face of A&W Allen Lulu, dressed just like Kempczinski, tasting what is for some reason called, a Teen Burger. “We love this product. Which most people call a burger. I don’t even know how to attack it,” he says, echoing Kempczinski's infamous cadence.
And on Thursday, Jack in the Box joined in. They shared a video of their famous mascot holding a Double Jack burger with a big bite taken out of it and audio that says, "Get them banned. Get them banned. We don't do that here. Oh, now I'm pissed." "I have reasoning. But the other guy 👀 lol," they wrote in the caption.
Of course, at its core, this is marketing in 2026. The awkward bite turned into a multi-brand showdown that has generated millions of views with free press across social media for all of the billion-dollar companies.
While the price of fast food has reached new heights, Kempczinski is estimated to have a net worth of no less than $45 million, per BENZINGO.
