MW That viral Big Arch burger video could be worth at least $18 million to McDonald's in free publicity
By Weston Blasi
Rivals like Burger King and Wendy's have also been biting off that McDonald's CEO video - and industry experts say it's good for business for everybody
That viral CEO burger bite is estimated to be worth millions of dollars in free advertising for McDonald's.
Make fun of that McDonald's burger-tasting video all you want. The fast-food chain is laughing all the way to the bank.
You've probably noticed that your newsfeeds and social-media timelines have been overrun with videos and memes of people biting into hamburgers this week. This all started when McDonald's $(MCD)$ CEO Chris Kempczinski posted a video to the fast-food chain's social-media accounts last month that showed him tasting the brand's new supersized Big Arch burger.
While the moment came and went - at first - the clip has gone viral over the past week and turned into a multimillion-dollar marketing play, experts say, as the Golden Arches' competitors have gotten in on the act. The reason: Many viewers have interpreted Kempczinski's tiny bite of the Big Arch, and his awkward praise of the 1,057-calorie burger, as apparent distaste.
"I don't even know how to attack it. God, so much to it. Alright, the moment of truth," Kempczinski says in the clip, before nibbling the sandwich. "Mmm. That is so good. That's a big bite for a Big Arch."
Many clips and memes have popped up making fun of the tiny bite Kempczinski took of the sandwich, with many claiming he was too corporate and wasn't actually enjoying it - such as how he referred to the burger as "the product," which plenty of parodies were quick to pick up on. The various videos and reshares of Kempczinski's Big Arch taste test have been viewed over 70 million times on social media.
But most importantly, fast-food rivals including Burger King $(QSR)$, Wendy's $(WEN)$, A&W, Smashburger and Freddy's have all posted their own parody videos featuring their business leaders eating their own food, in a not-so-subtle reference to McDonald's.
But the joke's on them: It turns out that all of these mocking videos have been marketing gold for McDonald's.
In fact, the burger-eating posts and subsequent conversation around Kempczinski's Big Arch bite have led to an estimated $18.4 million in brand value to McDonald's this month alone, according to Apex Marketing, a company that specializes in advertising and branding services. That brand-value metric encapsulates value across all social media, TV, radio, digital news and print news.
While it may seem like the insults and sick burns would be negative and hurt the McDonald's brand, Apex says that doesn't appear to be the case.
"At times, not all publicity is good publicity, but I think this is really good publicity for all involved," Mark Kalinowski, a veteran fast-food industry analyst, told MarketWatch. "It's really low cost [and] keeps the brand involved on the forefront of the consumer's mind. There's a quirkiness to it."
'This is really good publicity for all involved.'Mark Kalinowski, fast-food industry analyst,
McDonald's says that the Big Arch burger, which began rolling out in the U.S. this week, has already seen strong sales from this newfound interest. Some analysts are predicting that the Big Arch could become a signature McDonald's sandwich that could become one of its billion-dollar-selling menu items.
"We're glad the Big Arch has everyone's attention, including competitors," a McDonald's spokesperson told MarketWatch. "Early sales are beating expectations."
A run of publicity and interest coming to McDonalds's would be great timing for the fast-food giant right now. McDonald's has been on a mission to lure back reluctant customers in recent months. On its earnings call in February, the burger chain said it expects 2026 to "remain challenging" as customers battle with higher prices and inflation.
'We're glad the Big Arch has everyone's attention, including competitors.'McDonald's spokesperson
Higher prices at fast-food and fast-casual restaurants have been a major headwind for U.S. restaurant chains, as customers tighten their budgets and exercise restraint on what they spend their money on. So this viral Big Arch event, and the subsequent posts and conversations about it, isn't just good news for McDonald's - it's good news for all of the fast-food brands who are getting involved.
"This has got a lot of people laughing and thinking of McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's and so forth," Kalinowski said. "Ultimately, this is a net positive for the burger segment, and for McDonald's specifically."
Can it actually boost sales? Only time will tell, but Kalinowski thinks it can. After all, viral campaigns - such as the purple McDonald's Grimace shake in 2023 and the Popeyes chicken sandwich wars in 2019 - have previously boosted sales.
"It can make a material difference," Kalinowski said. "We've seen that happen with social media in the past. This is totally organic."
See: McDonald's may bring its 1,057-calorie Big Arch to America soon. Why it could be a billion-dollar burger.
-Weston Blasi
This content was created by MarketWatch, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. MarketWatch is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 06, 2026 17:09 ET (22:09 GMT)
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