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McDonald’s Big Arch Debuts in U.S. as CEO’s Viral ‘Product’ Bite Draws Ridicule and a Burger King Jab

The awkward Instagram taste test turned a routine rollout into a viral marketing moment testing executive authenticity.

Overview

  • Chris Kempczinski’s February Instagram clip resurfaced across X, TikTok and Reddit, with viewers mocking his hesitant, small first bite and repeated reference to the burger as a “product.”
  • The Big Arch rolled out to participating U.S. restaurants on March 3 as a limited‑time item after pilots in Portugal, Germany and Canada and a permanent addition in the U.K. and Ireland.
  • Burger King U.S. and Canada president Tom Curtis posted a contrasting taste‑test showing a full Whopper bite, widely read as a sly response to McDonald’s viral clip.
  • McDonald’s highlighted the launch with an X post reading “Take a bite of our new product” and joked with followers about how to “attack” the burger.
  • The 1,020‑calorie sandwich features two quarter‑pound beef patties, white cheddar, lettuce, pickles, crispy and slivered onions and Big Arch sauce, with U.S. prices reported between $6.89 and $10.19 and no end date disclosed.