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McDonald’s CEO, Chris Zempczinski, was mocked last week for ‘eating’ a new Big Arch burger weirdly and referring to it as a ‘product.’ His behaviour and the ensuing backlash demonstrated a fundamental, widening disconnect between corporate types and the average consumer.
So…we’re guessing you’ve probably seen McDonald’s CEO, Chris Zempczinski, awkwardly ‘biting’ into the new Big Arch burger by now, right?
If you haven’t, we covered it this week, taking a look at the viral clip and the ensuing imitations from rival companies, including Burger King and Wendy’s. It’s a burger bash for the ages, people, and nothing this year has been as petty or as daft. At least not yet, anyway. The original video has over 160,000 likes on Instagram and 24,000 comments, with YouTubers and publishers (like us) all chiming in with their opinions and grievances.
Why did the video cause so much of a stir in the first place?
Zempczinski is rather awkward throughout, to put it bluntly. He refers to the Big Arch only as a ‘product,’ seems to think a poppy seed bun is unique, takes the tiniest bite known to man, and appears to have his fries topped up at some point between takes. The whole ordeal is clunky and stiff, encapsulating the most eye-rolly clichés of the ‘corporate business boss’ who wants to be ‘relatable’ to please stakeholders and widen profit margins.
The backlash has been widespread. Yahoo called the clip ‘cringeworthy,’ The Independent described audience reactions as a ‘roasting,’ the New York Post labelled the whole thing a ‘mockery,’ and the Irish Star said the CEO himself ‘looked uncomfortable’ as he ‘tucked in’ to his meal. YouTubers also pointed out that he seemed to ‘hate his own food’ and poked fun at Zempczinski’s demeanour, saying that ‘he hates it because he knows what’s in it.’
Given that the ‘products’ he promotes and sells are inherently unhealthy, it’s interesting that Zempczinski has a net worth of over $20 million USD while likely never consuming any of the meals that McDonald’s offers. Making a buck off the common man and contributing to a global obesity crisis without indulging yourself? It’s all part of the CEO role, baby.
The cold reception to McDonald’s promotional video speaks to a wider disconnect between rich, corporate leaders and the common man, particularly in the US.
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As we’ve explored previously, Gen Z are living through an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis, where expenses are compromising their ability to save and invest in their futures. Everything from food to tuition is costing more and offering less, while mortgages and deposits feel ever more impossible to obtain. Having to watch an excessively rich, awkward business leader pretend to eat like a human being and shill unhealthy food that he clearly doesn’t buy is a little insulting, frankly.
At the same time, while young people struggle and scrape by, the wealthiest tech moguls continue to rake in the cash. Elon Musk is on his way to being the first trillionaire, Microsoft has seen its value skyrocket by billions thanks to AI, and Trump has continued to make money off his time at the White House. For the average person, it feels as though a group of only a few are hoarding most of our money and resources.
Zempczinski may just be a bloke eating a burger, but his entire demeanour and attitude speak to this fundamental, human disconnect between those at the top of the ladder and the lowly consumers expected to accept whatever they’re given, whether it be a Big Arch burger, a crappy, AI-infested product, or military aggression overseas. All of these things are happening in the interest of investors, stakeholders, and economic markets, rather than for the good of the general population, who are poorer and more polarised than they were a decade or two ago.
As mentioned, rival companies have been quick to jump at the opportunity to mock McDonald’s. Burger King’s CEO was filmed eating a burger ‘properly,’ and Wendy’s did their own parody of the original video. All this clout-chasing is funny, sure, but it’s also similarly cringeworthy given that these brands are trying to mop up engagement to boost their own products. Social media is a constant rat race for likes and sales; everyone’s looking to move the arrow upward, whatever the cost.
Perhaps all these rich bosses should just stop.
