McDonald's CEO on Going Viral, the Big Arch and the Fast-Food Value War

McDonald's CEO on Going Viral, the Big Arch and the Fast-Food Value War

From Bold Names by The Wall Street Journal

April 10, 2026 · 28 min

About this episode

McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski discusses the impact of his viral moment and the company's strategy in the fast-food value war.

When McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski took a small bite out of a big burger on camera, the internet—and his rivals—pounced. But in an era where CEOs are the face of the brand, is there such a thing as bad publicity? In this episode of Bold Names, WSJ’s Tim Higgins sits down with Kempczinski at McDonald's Chicago headquarters to discuss the fallout of his viral moment. Plus, they dive deep into the fast food giant’s strategy to compete by balancing a premium half-pound burger against the urgent need for meal deals in an economy where many customers are concerned with affordability. To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com. Check Out Past Episodes: Roses, Revenue, and Retention: Hinge’s Strategy for a $1 Billion Year Southwest’s $1 Billion Pivot: CEO Bob Jordan on Bag Fees And Other Changes The Five Step “Algorithm” Driving Tesla’s Success How Athletic Brewing Sells Beer for a Post-Alcohol Generation Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Read Tim Higgins’s column. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Tim Higgins

Guest: Chris Kempczinski

Topics covered

  • McDonald's
  • fast food
  • CEO
  • viral marketing
  • affordability

Keywords

  • viral moment
  • premium burger
  • meal deals
  • economy

Mentioned in this episode

Products: McDonald's, half-pound burger

Books & works: Bold Names

Places: Chicago

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