Big Arch or Big Flop? Burger Wars Go Viral

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by MARK POWELL

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“Any publicity is good publicity,” promoters said for decades. To which the Digital Age replies, “Hold my beer.”

These days, everyone wanting to shape public opinion — politicians and preachers, Hollywood stars and corporate hucksters. They all seek the same coveted prize, the Holy Grail of 21st century messaging: the viral video.

But that modus communicatum carries a high-voltage risk. Because there are good viral videos, and there are bad ones. One that plays poorly can damage a promotional project just as surely as a good one can sell it.

Just ask the folks who run the Golden Arches…

The latest campaign in the perennial war between the world’s biggest fast-food titans – McDonald’s and perpetual runner-up Burger King – is playing out in an unlikely venue.

For more than 50 years, their respective Big Mac and Whopper sandwiches have duked it out to be lord of the low-budget burgerdom. But McDonald’s substantially upped the ante recently – unveiling its new Big Arch Burger.

“McDonald’s is going BIG. Like really BIG,” the company gushed on its website.

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The Big Arch is indeed the mother of all fast-food burgers. The behemoth features two quarter-pound patties, three slices of melted white cheddar cheese, two varieties of onions, lettuce, pickles, and its own special “Big Arch sauce.” Weighing in at 14 ounces, it’s a serious handful. And at 1,020 calories, it’s not for the weight-conscious, either. One reviewer referred to it as “an ode to excess.”

The burger carries a hefty price tag, too. The sandwich will run you $8 at many Midlands-area Mickey D’s (about $12.50 if you want to make it a meal), though at some restaurants around the country it sells for as much as $10.20 a pop.         

“It’s the most McDonald’s, McDonald’s burger yet,” the company boasts.

Things might have been okay if they had left it there. But then someone in the marketing department said, “hey, I have an idea!” And that was when the trouble started. 

It sounded harmless enough. Tape a short video clip of the company’s big boss enjoying a Big Arch meal for lunch. What could possibly go wrong?

Things went south immediately when Chris Kempczinski, McDonald’s CEO since 2019, dressed for the shoot. He apparently channeled his inner Mr. Rogers by donning a white sweater that looked laughably bad. But it didn’t stop there.

Introducing himself with the folksy, “Chris K here,” he reassured viewers “I’m going to eat this for my lunch, just so you know.”  

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Ray Kroc used to drive around unannoced to McDonalds stores and ate few burgers a day (while counting burger wrappers in competitors trash to gauge their sales).

Current McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski looks like he gonna hurl after eating new Big Arch. pic.twitter.com/pmeSCjkhrM

— Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) March 1, 2026

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The trouble was, Kempczinski gives off a vibe that strongly suggests he’s more at home in a country club dining room than in a McDonald’s eating area. Seriously, you’re more likely to hear him say, “I’ll have the kale salad with a tahini-based dressing paired with a Sauvignon Blanc, if you please.“

Kempczinski is simply not a “Big Arch” kind of guy.

Nonetheless, he proceeds to open the box and gasps, “Holy cow! God, that is a big burger!” Displaying it like a rarity on The Antiques Roadshow, he rattles off the Big Arch’s ingredients and sighs in amazement, “oh, there’s so much goin’ on with this!”

He’s so impressed, one wonders if he’s going to eat the thing or ask it to be his girlfriend.

Finally, Kempczinski arrives at “the moment of truth.” After fidgeting with the bun for a few seconds to achieve proper finger placement, he opens wide, chomps down, and closes his eyes in an expression of staged-managed ecstasy.

“That is so good,” he declares, unconvincingly.

When all was said and done, Kempczinski had produced a 1-minute, 23-second homage to inauthenticity. The video was as phony as a professional wrestling match – just not as entertaining. From the moment he uploaded it to his Instagram account, viewers were laughing – at him, not with him. 

They shared with their friends, saying, “You’ve gotta see how lame this guy looks to believe it!” And they shared it with their friends, who in turn uploaded it to TikTok and other social media platforms. By Wednesday morning, it had been viewed—and laughed at—by nearly 5 million people.

The memes and funny videos resulting from the viral faux pas are too numerous to mention here.

Sensing opportunity, arch-rival (pun intended) Burger King leapt into action. It recently rolled out an updated version of its signature Whopper sandwich – which now comes in a box instead of wrapped in paper; contains creamier mayo; and has a better bun with a hint of glazing, among other improvements. But company president Tom Curtis wasn’t promoting that. He wanted to get in a dig at the guy across the street.

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Burger King CEO takes a big bite of a Whopper in new video after McDonald’s CEO went viral for reluctantly nibbling the chain’s new Big Arch Burger. pic.twitter.com/JrV3hw4Xz2

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) March 3, 2026

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He taped his own video mocking Kempczinski. Shot in a store kitchen with his shirt sleeves rolled up (thus inadvertently showing off what looks like an expensive wristwatch) and wearing a “Flame Grilled” BK Apron, Curtis may not be Mr. Everyday People… but at least you can envision him actually grabbing a Whopper at a drive-thru window.

Without fanfare, he bites down and nods approvingly as a woman off-camera asks, “Not bad, right?” Curtis lifts an index finger and says, “Only one thing missing—a napkin!” Both laugh as he wipes away a dab of mayonnaise left on his upper lip.

Curtis’ 13-second mini production not only destroyed Kempczinski’s rival video, it also extended the story’s lifecycle by giving people a new reason to keep laughing at the original. It was a brilliant tactical maneuver.

Will Kempczinski’s stumble be enough to doom the Big Arch’s chances by itself? Probably not. At a time when affordability is an increasingly pressing problem, its hefty price could do that. But when you’re trying to build buzz about a brand-new product that won’t be around forever – such as the famed McRib sandwich, which also appears for limited engagements – any distraction from the rollout isn’t good. It’s even worse when people are laughing at the messenger rather than laughing with him.

In short, a bad viral video can be more damaging than having no video at all.

(Note to Lorne Michaels: If you pass up doing a sketch about this on this week’s SNL, you’ll miss out on comedy gold!)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

J. Mark Powell is an award-winning former TV journalist, government communications veteran, and a political consultant. He is also an author and an avid Civil War enthusiast. Got a tip or a story idea for Mark? Email him at mark@fitsnews.com.

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