How McDonald's CEO's viral burger video turned memes into money
By Eleanor Hawkins
Published on March 12, 2026.
McDonald's CEO, Chris Kempczinski, posted a video on LinkedIn showing himself taste-testing a new menu item, the Big Arch burger. The video was widely mocked online for its corporate presentation and stiffness, leading to rival fast-food companies from Burger King and Wendy's to recreate the video with their own taste tests. The viral video also created a halo effect for McDonald's and its competitors. Early sales are exceeding expectations, according to a McDonald's spokeswoman. Despite the backlash, the video has been mentioned over 50,000 times on X since it was initially released.
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