Burger King brutally skewers McDonald's after a video of its

Morgan Ross is a writer, editor, and script doctor based in Washington, D.C. She received a B.A. in International Relations and Journalism from Mills College. Outside of writing, Morgan enjoys visiting museums, helping high school students achieve their dreams, and wrangling her two lovely cats, Roxie and Salem.

Folks, the burger wars are heating up after Burger King seized on an awkward moment involving the McDonald's CEO taste-testing the company's newest menu item.

"The Big Arch might be my new go-to lunch order. Who else is counting down the days until it's in a store near you?"

The Big Arch is McDonald's newest large-format burger, introduced in March 2026. The limited-time menu item includes two quarter-pound beef patties (totaling half a pound), three slices of white cheddar cheese, crispy onions, slivered raw onions, lettuce, pickles, and Big Arch Sauce.

It's described as having "a perfect balance of mustard, pickle and sweet tomato flavors," according to the company's release. The elements are sandwiched between a toasted sesame and poppy seed bun coated with poppy seeds.

International Relations and Journalism

In the video, a comfy sweatered Kempczinski enthusiastically praises the sandwich:

"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."

Then he takes a bite -- well, more of a nibble:

In his defense, the Big Arch is the fast-food giant's biggest burger to date and just rolled out nationwide. But social media users quickly seized on the clip, with commenters mocking the ultra-delicate bite while others took issue with Kempczinski referring to the burger as a "product."

One social media commenter reacting to the CEO's now-viral taste test:

"What's the opposite of genuine and authentic? 😂"

Big Arch

The moment quickly became parody material as well. TikTok creator @itscatsullivan posted a recreation of the video that has already racked up more than 1.2 million likes.

You can watch the parody here:

Then Burger King entered the chat. The rival chain posted its own video on Monday featuring Tom Curtis, president of Burger King U.S. & Canada, enthusiastically biting into the brand's signature Whopper -- sauce on his face and all.

In the clip, an off-camera voice asks Curtis, "Not bad, right?" The president reacted with:

If there was any doubt the moment was intentional, the internet quickly connected the dots. Entertainment outlet Pop Crave even posted both burger taste tests side by side, prompting Burger King's official X account to jump in.

King U.S & Canada

The BK account replied:

While the viral jab grabbed attention, Burger King has also been making changes to its own flagship burger. The company recently announced that the Whopper will receive its first makeover in nearly 10 years. According to a February 26 press release, the changes are based on guest feedback and aim to deliver what the brand calls a "higher-quality Whopper experience."

Upgrades include a more premium bun and improved mayonnaise. Instead of being wrapped in paper, the updated Whopper will also be served in a box. The chain says the burger will be "stacked tall" with freshly cut onions and tomatoes, crisp lettuce, and tangy pickles.

The burger bites clip spread quickly across social media, where users joked that the careful bite looked less like burger enthusiasm and more like brand damage control.

McDonald's, meanwhile, has also experimented with buzzy menu drops this year.

Whopper

In February, the company offered limited McNugget Caviar kits featuring premium sturgeon caviar and crème fraîche -- but the promotion sold out before many fans could get their hands on one.

A McDonald's spokesperson addressing the rapid sell-out of the McNugget Caviar kits:

"We look forward to bringing more ways for fans to enjoy our limited-time drops in the future."

Despite Burger King's viral moment, McDonald's is still winning the numbers game. In early 2026, McDonald's U.S. same-store sales grew by 6.8%, outpacing Burger King's 2.6% growth.

Still, if the latest social media back-and-forth is any indication, the decades-long burger rivalry isn't cooling off anytime soon. In the age of viral marketing, sometimes all it takes is one awkward bite -- and one perfectly timed response.

The Big Arch might be my new go-to lunch order. Who else is counting down the days until it's in a store near you?

Putting it in context

Openings get the attention, but it is the second and third year that decide whether a restaurant becomes part of a city's routine.

Key takeaways

Morgan Ross is a writer, editor, and script doctor based in Washington, D.C
Folks, the burger wars are heating up after Burger King seized on an awkward moment involving the McDonald's CEO taste-testing the company's newest menu item
"The Big Arch might be my new go-to lunch order
The Big Arch is McDonald's newest large-format burger, introduced in March 2026
He takes a bite -- well, more of a nibble

By the numbers

The company recently announced that the Whopper will receive its first makeover in nearly 10 years
In early 2026, McDonald's U.S. same-store sales grew by 6.8%, outpacing Burger King's 2.6% growth

Common questions

What should you know about Burger King?