Headshot of Chris Kempczinski, McDonald's President and CEO/ Credits: Wikimedia Commons

The CEO of McDonald's, who was appointed in 2019, is the recent target of trolls online. Chris Kempczinski posted a bizarre video promoting their newly launched Arch Burger, which went viral quickly, and fans all across the world did not take long before they started mocking the CEO.

Arch Burger launched in the United States on March 3, but before the Americans could have taken a bite, Chris Kempczinski's taste test made it a subject of online ridicule rather than stirring excitement for the new drop. Some viewers described the video as awkward.

In the video, fans believed that Chris Kempczinski looked grossed out while eating his own burger. The huge burger was launched to create headlines and attract attention worldwide.

Chris Kempczinski

The burger includes two quarter-pound beef patties, three slices of white cheddar, crispy and slivered onions, lettuce, pickles, and a new Big Arch Sauce. It is served on sesame- and poppy-seed buns. McDonald's called it the "most McDonald's, McDonald's burger."

In the promotional video that CEO Chris Kempczinski shared, he called the burger "classic McDonald's burger with a twist." As he picked it up, he joked that he did not know where to start. Kempczinski then took a small bite, prompting some viewers to question the authenticity of the moment. He called the burger a product multiple times as he ate. The video did not show him appearing particularly enthusiastic; instead, he looked uncomfortable.

The Internet stormed on the video with their opinion of what they thought about the CEO's video. On Reddit, fans were confused and were trying to figure out what was the purpose behind this video.

Big Arch Sauce

A fan commented, "Is this intended to drive sales lol?" They were not sure if the video was to promote the burger or to make it look uneasy to eat. Another widely shared comment on the video was from a terrified person who said, "It scares me when you call food 'product.'"

Keen-eyed fans observed the way Chris Kempczinski ate the burger. Some commented on his reaction when he opened the box, as they thought he looked surprised, as if it was the first time he saw the burger.

Mostly, people pointed out the tiny bite that he claimed was a big bite. One user mentioned a hilarious comment trolling his reaction, as they compared it to "an alien's first day on Earth." These reactions mainly point out how unfamiliar he looked with the burger.

Arch Burger

Fans also made funny parody posts making fun of the CEO's uncomfortable way of describing the burger. They thought that this was a very formal and mechanical way of describing the Arch Burger as a product.

Fans quickly compared it to The Simpsons, saying that the sitcom even predicted this. The reference of The Simpsons that the fan compared the video to is when a clown named Krusty advertises eating a burger and spits it out behind the scenes when the camera stops.

The fan's concern was not particularly with whether the Big Arch Burger tasted nice. Instead, they were focusing on the authenticity of the product and whether the CEO seemed genuine in how he presented the product or whether he was being pretentious.

Why it matters

In recent years, fast food companies have struggled with the same issue that the CEO of McDonald's did. Other fast-food brands have also faced scrutiny in the past over marketing and authenticity.

classic McDonald's burger with a twist.

Reading the wider picture

Menus are the clearest record of what diners actually wanted, since every change reflects something that did or did not sell.

At a glance

  • The CEO of McDonald's, who was appointed in 2019, is the recent target of trolls online
  • The burger includes two quarter-pound beef patties, three slices of white cheddar, crispy and slivered onions, lettuce, pickles, and a new Big Arch Sauce
  • In the promotional video that CEO Chris Kempczinski shared, he called the burger "classic McDonald's burger with a twist." As he picked it up, he joked that he did not know where to start
  • A fan commented, "Is this intended to drive sales lol?" They were not sure if the video was to promote the burger or to make it look uneasy to eat
  • Mostly, people pointed out the tiny bite that he claimed was a big bite

All told

The details will firm up over the coming months. What is already clear is that this is unlikely to be the last we hear of it.