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 punch line, and hand archrival Burger King the chance to do its 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.”
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.
