Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Burgers aside, the internet wants more CEOs to try their own products

After McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski went viral for his Big Arch taste test, other fast-food executives decided to join in on the fun.  (Wendy's/@chrisk_mcd/Burger King)
By Melina Khan USA TODAY

The internet isn’t ready to squash the CEO beef quite yet.

After McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski’s burger video set off an online firestorm of fast food chains putting their own executives to the taste test, social media users are calling for more ​companies to take part – but in a slightly different way.

From navigating a Trader Joe’s parking lot to searching for an email on Microsoft Outlook, people are calling ⁠on more executives to try their companies’ products or services.

“Don’t stop with the burgers, make the CEO ‌of Ticketmaster try to buy concert tickets on ​his own website,” user @rachel.c220 wrote in a March 7 TikTok video that has garnered more than 600,000 views to date.

Commenters jumped in: “Try to make the CEO of any cellular provider cancel an account,” one person wrote.

Others got ⁠more pointed: “Make hospital CEO’s get healthcare on minimum wage,” another ‌user said.

The internet wants to ‌make more CEOs try their companies’ products

People online are adding their suggestions for more tasks or products CEOs should experience firsthand, ⁠especially those that have been criticized as particularly challenging.

“I’d like to see the CEO of Intuit file his taxes through TurboTax without screaming ‌at his computer,” one person wrote ‌on X.

The ​CEO discourse comes after fast food chains took a bite out of taste test video drama.

It started when McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski’s taste test video of the chain’s new Big Arch burger began circulating online. The ⁠internet quickly started grilling Kempczinski over whether or not he enjoyed the burger after taking a very small bite.

“I love this product,” Kempczinski says in the clip ahead ⁠of trying the burger. “It is so good. I’m gonna do a tasting right now, but I’m gonna eat this for my lunch, just so you know.”

Soon, fast food competitors from Burger King to Wendy’s got ⁠in on the bit, having their ‌own executives try their food on camera. Countless memes ​and parodies ‌have circulated online.