Mcdonald’s Faces a New Social-Media Playbook After CEO’s Viral Burger Bite

Mcdonald’s is now navigating a louder, faster social-media backlash-and-banterscape where a single executive clip can shift attention to competitors and force a response in real time. As of 9: 14 a. m. ET Saturday, that change is tied to a video posted by McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski that turned a new burger launch into a viral punch line.

The immediate consequence is clear: rival brands are using the moment to score easy engagement, while McDonald’s is working to steer the conversation back to its product. The episode has also become a cautionary tale for executives whose first-person posts can be remixed, mocked, and repurposed long after they initially land.

Mcdonald’s Big Arch launch gets reframed as meme fuel

What was intended as a celebratory marketing beat for the new Big Arch burger instead became a widely shared example of how quickly a routine promotional clip can be reinterpreted online. In early February, Kempczinski posted a video promoting the Big Arch, describing it as a “love letter” to fans after tests in several international markets.

In the clip, Kempczinski appeared unsure how to approach the burger—stacked with two patties and listed at 1, 020 calories—before taking a small nibble. He then said he would “enjoy the rest of [his] lunch” off-screen, adding, “That’s a big bite for a Big Arch. ”

For weeks, the taste test drew little attention. Then creators began stitching reactions, and the video became a magnet for memes and satirical posts. One TikTok from comedian Garron Noone mocking the moment drew more than 10 million views, while other posts suggested the CEO looked more likely to eat a salad than one of his company’s burgers.

Burger King, Wendy’s, and A& W seize the opening with spoofs

The second-order impact is that competitors quickly turned McDonald’s viral moment into their own marketing opportunity. Burger King posted a 13-second video of its president, Tom Curtis, taking a large bite of a Whopper with the caption, “Thought we’d replay this. ”

Burger King also addressed the timing relayed through a spokesperson: “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 chains piled on. A& W Restaurants and Wendy’s added tongue-in-cheek posts of their own, extending the so-called burger wars into a broader round of executive taste-test content. Wendy’s posted a snarky line—“This is what it looks like when you don’t have to pretend to like your ‘product, ’”—after sharing a video of its U. S. president, Pete Suerken, eating a Baconator.

Wendy’s also escalated the theme by announcing a “chief tasting officer” role, offering a $100, 000 salary for someone to make video reviews, with no experience or qualifications required.

Chris Kempczinski and McDonald’s try to reclaim the narrative

McDonald’s response shows how brands may increasingly try to turn mockery into momentum rather than ignore it. The company posted a winking Instagram image reading, “Take a bite of our new product, ” paired with the caption: “Can’t believe this got approved. ”

In an official comment shared with Fortune on Thursday, a McDonald’s spokesperson said: “We’re glad the Big Arch has everyone’s attention, ” and added that early sales of the new burger were “beating expectations. ”

Still, the moment underscores why executive visibility online can be a double-edged sword. The misstep landed harder because Kempczinski has spent years building a social media presence while many other CEOs avoid first-person posting or rely on social media managers, ghostwriters, and corporate communications teams. On LinkedIn and Instagram, he often shares career advice, taste tests, and leadership lessons in short-form videos that appear to be filmed from his office at the company’s Chicago headquarters.

For now, the viral cycle has delivered what many executives seek—attention—while also demonstrating how quickly that attention can be redirected by competitors. The next potential swing point will come with McDonald’s continued rollout and promotion of the Big Arch; if early sales continue “beating expectations, ” the company may be able to keep the focus on the burger rather than the bite.