McDonald's and Burger King beef over CEO's viral video
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
March 4, 2026, 12:32 PM EST / Updated March 4, 2026, 4:36 PM ESTBy Matt LavietesListen to this article with a free account00:0000:00
McDonald's and Burger King have a major beef — and not the kind sold in their restaurants.
The food fight started last month, when McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski posted a video of himself eating the fast-food giant's new Big Arch burger on social media. The video was to promote the new product, which was released on Tuesday.
"That's a big bite for a big arch!" Kempczinski said, holding up the burger with a negligible bite mark.
The video went viral for the apparent discrepancy. Social media users also started questioning if Kempczinski finished the burger for lunch as he said he would in the video.
'This almost feels dystopian. He's acting like he's afraid of it. And just to call it a 'product,'" one user wrote. "It just feels incredibly alien, makes me second-guess eating McDonald's."
"I 'promise' I will be finishing this for lunch!! I 'swear'!!!" another wrote.
An Instagram account belonging to carmaker Mini Cooper also weighed in, writing: "Gonna start test driving our cars 1 metre at a time."
Burger King's comment, which received nearly 71,000 likes, was brief: "we couldn't finish it either."
Then on Tuesday, the day the Big Arch was released, Burger King posted a video of its president, Tom Curtis, eating its signature Whopper cheeseburger on Instagram.
"Thought we'd replay this," Burger King wrote in the caption.
The fast-food behemoth denied that the video was related to the spat.
"We can confirm that this video was not created in reaction to anything," a Burger King spokesperson said in a statement to NBC News on Wednesday. "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."
"We believe leadership should genuinely enjoy and stand behind the food we serve, and it was important for him to experience the Whopper the same way our Guests do as we continue building momentum around our menu updates," the spokesperson continued.
When asked for a statement, a spokesperson for McDonald's referred to a recent post on its Instagram account.
The post has an image of the company's new burger, with the following caption: "Take a bite of our new product. Can't believe this got approved."
On Wednesday, competitor Wendy's appeared to weigh in on the spat. On LinkedIn, Wendy's posted a video of its U.S. president digging into one of their burgers.
"Lots of chatter this week about burgers," a caption for the video reads. "Thought we'd remind everyone what fresh, never frozen tastes like."
Wendy's then reposted the video on X with the comment: "This is what it looks like when you don't have to pretend to like your 'product.'"
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The new Big Arch is over 1,020 calories.
It may be perfect for anyone who can't seem to put on weight.
Morning Vic...
Or kill ya... doing it.. this was served at a Brisbane Macca's..🤮
Have had three Macca's burgers (you really can't even call them that) in my life time here...
They went in the bin...not my photo I don't eat the crap...
If you ever want a decent burger come to the great South sandbar..made with real fresh ingredients and without sugar in the bin..
A proper burger roll, mayo, lettuce, cheese, tomato, beetroot, bacon, a real beef hamburger, pineapple and egg... throw on some tomato sauce optional and you would never eat Macca's crap again..
Shona you forgot the pickles again
I saw this on some news show or youtube and watching this guy gave me the impression that he hasn't eaten a burger in at least 30+ years if ever, how did he even get that job and who gave it to him, his dad? who fucking nibbles a burger?
Melbourne?
Arvo Vic...can go anywhere in Oz and you will get a decent hamburger from Melbourne to Perth to woop woop..
Walk in ask for a hamburger with the lot and you will never see a pickle in sight....
Can guarantee tee you would never eat another plastic fantastic Macca's burger again..🦘
Tried a Big Arch during it's trial period last year, the taste isn't great and it's messy as heck
I know one person who tried it and just like McDonald's CEO, he couldn't finish it. I think they over did it.
My last two experiences with McDonald’s ended in instant diarrhea. I’d rather starve.
the only time I eat over priced corporate fast food garbage now is when I'm on a road trip ...
Morning Vangy...
Hmmm eating Macca's crap on a road trip could lead to the Highway from Hell..with many unscheduled bush stops..just make sure you take a dunny roll with you..🤢
words of wisdom from the oracle of oz ...
Should I be concerned that I eat Burger King burgers once in a while?
I doubt that the Burger King burgers where you live are much like the burgers here in the US. I can remember way back when I was a youngen in the military and had a Big Mac in Germany. Was rather surprised that there was so much sugar in the secret sauce that it was crunchy. Regional differences can be huge.
The burgers here seem to be pretty well the same as I remember them in Canada.
If they had taken on Chinese characteristics, they would have been spicey, especially here in Chongqing.
I haven't been to Mc Donalds in a few years. I do occasionally (3 or 4 times a year) eat a Whopper.
I saw the Mc Donalds commercial with the CEO and thought is was stupid and ineffective. People who want to buy fast food don't take recommendations from people who make millions of dollars a year.
Whoppers are better than any burger at Mc Donald's but IMO the fries at Mc Donald's are much better then Burger Kings.
All of the parody videos this week have been delightful. How the original ever made it out is just baffling. Apparently, no one around this guy had the stones to tell him he looked like an idiot.
trump is probably the only wealthy person in america whose ingestion of that over processed crap doesn't immediately induce projectile vomiting. the 2 items on their menu closest to actual food are the egg mcmuffin and the egg, bacon, cheese on a biscuit.