What was meant to be a high-stakes launch for McDonald's 'biggest and boldest' burger has instead devolved into a corporate PR nightmare, as CEO Chris Kempczinski's awkward eating habits became the internet's latest obsession.
In a promotional video for the Big Arch, a massive double-patty burger released in the US on 3 March 2026, Kempczinski was filmed taking what critics have dubbed a 'timid nibble' rather than a standard bite.
The moment lasted only seconds, and the clip quickly went viral on TikTok and Instagram, with users mocking the executive's 'robotic' energy and his bizarre choice to call the 1,000-calorie meal a 'product' rather than food. Within 48 hours, the 'McNibble' had transformed into a multi-brand social media roast, providing rivals with millions of dollars in free marketing at McDonald's expense.
Rivals Smell Opportunity
The fast-food sector is one of the most competitive in the world, and no brand is missing an opportunity to poke fun at its competitors. Burger chains were quick to capitalise on the opportunity and jumped on it immediately. Burger King and Wendy's took the lead in creating buzz and advertising by posting videos on social media of their executives eating their own burgers with enthusiasm. The message was clear without many words.
This trend of small bites is not at all a part of our process. The light-hearted jabs gained momentum quickly on social media, and many people commented on these videos with enthusiasm. The latest fast food drama was born on the internet. Even smaller burger chains participated in this event. Jack in the Box posted a video featuring its mascot, poking fun at the other chains, stating that they did not make small burgers. What started out as a light-hearted jab by some fast-food franchises has turned into free marketing for almost all the fast-food franchises involved in the campaign.
McDonald's Tries to Laugh It Off
The fast-food chain concluded that it would no longer be possible to return to the original reference—its previously published reference—and thus tried a different route with the tweet on the social media platform Instagram. The tweet reflects Kempczinski's comments about enjoying the burger by offering an additional opinion.
The tone of this tweet was mild-mannered, so the fast-food chain recognised that the attempt to use humour to develop an alternative route through social media failed. The fast-food chain, therefore, accepted this joke and moved away from this line of humour.
Still, the response was not well received; therefore, there is typically no end to this type of response to humour from competing companies and/or brands.
The Roast Spreads Beyond Burgers
The initial conversation about burgers has now expanded into other fast-food establishments, and many unrelated chains are also catching on to the original clip idea. Wendy's recently fanned the flames by adding a new position. They stated they are looking for a Chief Tasting Officer, with a starting salary of $100,000.
The post caught many people's attention on social media. Popeyes made a snide remark about Wendy's possibly needing a chief tasting officer, then Wendy's came back with a clever jab at Popeyes with a nickname. Then Popeyes jabbed back with yet another interesting comment.
Then the conversation shifted from burgers to chicken and biscuits. Church's Chicken even added their own comment about the Popeyes biscuits. By the time 24 hours had elapsed, there had been almost 1000 comments about their own chains and which one served the best biscuits. What started as a simple joke among chains about burgers has now turned into an all-out debate around fast-food chains.
KFC Enters With a Confident Bite
The social media war continues to escalate; a major player has entered the fray. Catherine Tan-Gillespie, President of KFC US, posted a video on social media discussing the burger. Her message was clear and assured. 'A lot of people in the corporate world are discussing hamburgers at the moment, so good job for them.'
'At KFC, we leave beef to the guys.' Then she took a big bite out of their chicken sandwich. The video went viral and captured the fun side of this whole saga – brands teasing each other and millions of people watching it unfold in real time.
