A&w Seizes the Moment: How a Viral McDonald’s Taste Test Became a Rival’s Punchline
When McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski lifted a boxed sandwich to the camera and took a famously tiny bite, a&w moved fast: a North Vancouver parody clip answered that awkward taste test with a broad, confident chew. The stunt folded a single viral moment into a public marketing jab that many found irresistible.
A&w joins the mockery with a mirror-image parody
In the parody clip shared on A&w’s social channels, actor and commercial personality Allen Lulu appears in a blue dress shirt and sweater similar to the one the CEO wore. Lulu treats an A&W Teen Burger as if it were a revelation, saying, “We love this product. Which most people call a burger. I don’t even know how to attack it. ” Unlike the CEO’s cautious nibble, Lulu takes a large, visible bite and holds the sandwich up as proof of tasting, then invites the McDonald’s CEO to meet for lunch: “Just you me, and a couple of Teen Burgers. ” A&W Canada noted the Teen Burger is $4. 99 at A&W restaurants countrywide for a limited time.
Why the CEO’s bite mattered
The original clip that set this off showed Chris Kempczinski describing the new Big Arch sandwich with enthusiasm — “Holy cow! God, that is a big burger!” — and calling it “so good” after a very small first bite. The video emphasized elements of the product: two quarter-pound patties, three slices of cheddar, lettuce, pickles, crispy onions, and a tangy, creamy sauce on a toasted sesame and poppy seed bun. The contrast between declarative praise and a hesitant bite created the social-media friction that rivals and comedians used as fuel.
Pop culture columnist Vinay Menon framed the reaction bluntly in his piece, asking, “Does this guy even know how to eat a hamburger?” That line captured the public’s amusement and helped turn a routine promotional clip into a broader conversation about corporate authenticity and the performative nature of CEO appearances.
What this means for rival brands and the public
Rival brands moved quickly to add their own commentary: one competitor’s account noted it “couldn’t finish it either, ” and others posted videos showing their own leaders biting into sandwiches with enthusiasm. For A&W, the parody was a calculated piece of cultural riffing rather than a direct product comparison. By leaning into the awkwardness and offering a clear, oversize bite, the chain signaled confidence in its Teen Burger while tapping into a moment millions were already discussing.
For the public, the episode shows how a single on-camera gesture can reshape the message of a carefully staged promotion. The Big Arch launch — which was presented as a limited-time introduction in the U. S. — arrived with the expectations of a mass audience, and the CEO’s choice to call it a “product” rather than simply a “burger” became part of what people mocked online. The parody response from A&w reframed the conversation into a cheeky invitation to try something different, with a price point included to make the move concrete for consumers.
Brands now face a clear calculus: controlled marketing moments can be amplified or undermined in real time, and rival responses can turn an awkward second into an earned spotlight. The exchange between Kosmpcinski’s bite and A&w’s parody did more than amuse — it highlighted how quickly cultural commentary can become marketing, and how companies can choose to engage or evade the moment.
Back where the story began, the boxed sandwich that prompted a tiny bite sits now as a symbol of something larger: a reminder that in the age of viral video, how you eat a burger can matter as much as how you make one.
