When the McDonald’s chief executive, Chris Kempczinski, posted a video of himself eating lunch last month, it was not the burger he was promoting that drew attention. It was how he was eating it. With, shall we say, a lack of gusto.
For Mr. Kempczinski, there was no huge bite followed by a performative licking of the lips or rubbing of the tummy. No, he bit into the burger tentatively, almost primly. It gave not “I can’t wait to devour this delicious fast food item,” but rather “I am contractually obligated to perform a particular action here, and I am not especially delighted about it.”
Afterward, he held up the burger for viewers, revealing a missing nibble, and, defying what everyone had just seen, declared: “That’s a big bite for a Big Arch.”
Mr. Kempczinski’s seeming lack of passion for what he described as “this product” drew a snarky response, and not just from the social media crew often ready to be critical of anything. (“We all know you didn’t eat the rest of that, buddy,” one commenter wrote. “Blink twice if you are being held against your will,” said another.)
It also invited shade from some competitors and other corporations.
A Burger King account wrote in an Instagram comment, “we couldn’t finish it either,” and Wendy’s mused, “lots to unpack here.” Jack in the Box said, “From one CEO to another: eat your product.”
Soon afterward, Burger King reposted a video of its own chief executive eating a Whopper with somewhat more passion, captioned, “Thought we’d replay this.” But Burger King told NBC News, “We can confirm that this video was not created in reaction to anything.”
McDonald’s seemed far from perturbed about the excitement. “We’re glad the Big Arch has everyone’s attention,” a spokesperson said, adding that early sales of the new burger were “beating expectations.”
McDonald’s also seemed to be joining in on the fun by posting a picture of the burger captioned, “Take a bite of our new product.”
“There’s always strong opinions when it comes to burgers, and we respect the passion guests have for their favorite brands,” a Burger King spokesperson said.
There was a time when corporate feuds, whether real or P.R. creations, captivated American attention. Coke vs. Pepsi. Lite vs. Natural Light. McDonald’s vs. Burger King vs. Wendy’s.
Oceans of money were spent with the goal of squeezing a percentage of market share. The peak was perhaps in the 1980s, when Burger King aggressively went after McDonald’s, saying their own burgers were bigger and tasted better. They also pushed the slogan “Have it your way,” highlighting that Burger King encouraged patrons to customize their orders.
Wendy’s jumped in with the “Where’s the Beef?” campaign that comically displayed a microscopic burger supposedly from another outlet.
All the TV ads cost a lot, and a little online tomfoolery is significantly cheaper.
McDonald’s recently announced sales increases, spurred by giveaways and some reduced-price deals. Now, they are looking for a lift from the Big Arch, rolled out nationally on Tuesday, with two patties, two kinds of onions and a new sauce. “Each and every big bite equal parts juicy, melty and saucy,” McDonald’s contends.
Maybe invite a friend rather than Mr. Kempczinski though.
Victor Mather, who has been a reporter and editor at The Times for 25 years, covers sports and breaking news.
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