Burger King didn’t name names—but it didn’t have to.
Days after McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski went viral for promoting the new Big Arch Burger, Burger King dropped a TikTok featuring its own top executive doing something similar, but some say, better.
According to Newsweek, Tom Curtis, president of Burger King U.S. & Canada, is seen sampling the chain’s newly revamped Whopper. The video was framed around recent customer outreach—Curtis previously shared his phone number publicly, inviting guests to text feedback about the brand.
But the focal point quickly became the moment he unwrapped the burger and took a confident, full bite.
Curtis examines the burger, takes a substantial bite, and continues speaking naturally on camera.
One TikTok user wrote, “He took a decent bite unlike the McDonald’s CEO.” Another added, “Never once used the word ‘product.’” A third commented, “This marketing is low-key genius… they didn’t have to mention McDonald’s and we all knew.”
The TikTok has already surpassed one million views within days of posting.
Positioned as a premium offering, the sandwich features two quarter-pound beef patties, three slices of white cheddar cheese, lettuce, pickles, crispy and slivered onions, and a proprietary Big Arch Sauce described as a blend of mustard, pickle, and sweet tomato flavors. It’s served on a bun topped with sesame and poppy seeds and is scheduled to hit participating U.S. locations on March 3.
In the Instagram clip, Kempczinski referred to the burger as a “product” before taking a notably small first bite. The moment spread quickly across social platforms, drawing attention to the delivery as much as the sandwich itself. The video has since racked up more than three million views on Instagram and has circulated widely on TikTok and X.
Burger King has not publicly stated that its TikTok was created in response to McDonald’s viral moment, and there is no direct reference to the Big Arch Burger or to Kempczinski in the clip.