6 Times The McDonald's CEO Looked Like He Didn't Want To Swallow The Chain's Food

Despite being among the most popular restaurants in the United States and beyond, McDonald's does not always maintain a reputation for having high-quality food. In fact, we here at The Takeout have even ranked the chain's burgers among the lowest quality in the fast food industry. While McDonald's fans can and do argue that the chain's quality issues are overblown, many have noted that the juggernaut's CEO hasn't done the company any favors in convincing fans that the food is high-end. In fact, Chris Kempczinski recently went viral for appearing repulsed by a new McDonald's U.S. menu item, causing many to question its quality.

However, those who have kept track of Kempczinski's activities since he joined the executive team at McDonald's in 2015 will know this isn't even the first time he's displayed visual displeasure while eating a McDonald's item. In fact, Kempczinski's Instagram page features an entire series of taste tests for new menu items — both at U.S. and international locations. However, while it's clear he enjoyed a fair amount of them, some viewers have pinpointed a handful of times when it seemed difficult for Kempczinski to hide his disappointment.

The most recent and notorious instance of Chris Kempczinski seeming unenthused by a McDonald's item came when he got his hands on a Big Arch Burger in February 2026. This massive burger was known as a test item only available in Canada and Portugal, but it eventually made its way stateside in March 2026. Kempczinski's taste test served as an early teaser of the item. While the McDonald's CEO claimed to be a fan of the burger after taking his first (and only) filmed bite of the new item, most were skeptical that he was being honest about his thoughts due to his seemingly uncomfortable body language.

Many were quick to notice that the Instagram video cut almost immediately after Kempczinski's bite, leading them to question whether he actually swallowed the sandwich or not. Plus, Kemczinkski's use of the word "product" rather than simply calling it a "burger" led some to question his personal enjoyment of the company's new item. The video sparked so much buzz that there are even some online who believe Kempczinski's reaction was staged to make the video go viral and further promote the new burger. However, given the fact that this reaction was in line with the CEO's previous taste test videos (we also didn't find the Big Arch Burger at McDonald's to be particularly enjoyable), it was likely about as real as it gets for the executive's social media series.

A major aspect of Chris Kempczinski's McDonald's reviews has historically been his excitement to try menu items that are only available in key regions or countries. These items are often met with verbal praise from the McDonald's CEO, but some may notice a look and sound of hesitancy with others. One such example was the Samurai McSpicy, a chicken sandwich that Kempczinski bit into, took a few seconds to figure out how he'd respond, and then finally gave it an unconvincing "mmm" before describing its sweet and spicy flavors.

Now, while people once again noticed an uncommitted, almost painful look on Kempczinski's face, it could be attributed to the relatively unfamiliar flavors at play on the sandwich. While the Samurai McSpicy is fairly similar to a standard McSpicy you can grab at McDonald's locations in the United States, the Thai version features teriyaki sauce as a key condiment on the sandwich. In the video, Kempczinski drew attention to the inclusion of teriyaki sauce — albeit by calling it "the sauce" rather than by its name — and was likely thrown off by its sweetness as he chewed (but didn't swallow) the chicken sandwich.

In one of the more contentious taste tests from Chris Kempczinski, the McDonald's CEO seemed to enjoy his first bite of the new McCrispy Strips when they arrived on the scene in spring 2025. In fact, a few comments even noted that his initial reaction seemed quite genuine, along with his recommendation to get the Creamy Chili Sauce for dipping. 

However, the one thing that people had a hard time getting past in the video was his refusal to swallow the chicken. After taking a seemingly enjoyable bite of the chicken tender, Kempczinski kept the piece of food in the side of his cheek as he continued to talk about how customers should double their orders while teasing the Snack Wrap that would return in the months to follow. This, unsurprisingly, led to comments about the chicken strips — with one person saying, "Those were like chewing on a rubber tire." — or the CEO, who they claimed likely spat out the food after he was done recording.

Let's face it — while the McRib has become a massive fan favorite at McDonald's over the years, it's not without its fair share of detractors. And, even if Chris Kempczinski didn't admit it outright, his review of the McRib in 2023 made some believe he was among those naysayers himself. While this Instagram video was a rare instance that we got the opportunity to actually see Kempczinski swallow his food on camera (only in the form of a blooper, but it still counts!), it was hard to believe the CEO when he called the McRib "the GOAT" before unenthusiastically biting into the historic sandwich.

From his unconvincing line of "I love the McRib, I hope it comes back," to complaining about just how messy the sandwich is, Kempczinski was understandably on the receiving end of comments claiming that he was trying not to gag and joking that he'd rather be eating a Whopper from Burger King than his own company's sandwich. Furthermore, this apparent discontent was especially surprising given Kempczinski's personal experience with the sandwich; the 57-year-old CEO remembers the McRib's initial debut in 1982, and noted that his mother heralded the sandwich as her favorite McDonald's item. Needless to say, most assume Kempczinski does not share his mother's strong fondness for the iconic seasonal item.

Another instance of Chris Kempczinski seeming unenthused with one of his company's products came during a 2021 visit to Scotland, where he taste-tested three popular items on the menu. While one item — Scotland's Quarter Pounder with Cheese — was met with a fairly positive response from Kempczinski, it was the McPlant and the IrnBru that seemed to rub him the wrong way. 

For starters, the Vegan McPlant featured vegan cheese and Beyond Meat alongside the other ingredients you'd typically find on a deluxe McDonald's burger. However, while Kempczinski claimed in the video that he couldn't tell it was a vegan burger, his facial expression while eating it told a different story. With a grimace on his face and a seemingly phoned-in "that's fantastic" coming out of his mouth, it's hard to believe that his eventual rating of 13/10 for the special item was an accurate one.

A rare instance where Kempczinski verbally questioned what he was consuming came when he tried Irn-Bru — one of Scotland's most popular drinks and a mainstay on the McDonald's Scotland menu. A momentary sense of authenticity came out when he took one sip of the drink and genuinely asked, "This is Scotland's favorite drink?" Nevertheless, he still saved face and gave the bold soda a 10/10 rating to complete his review.

Last but certainly not least, the Grimace Shake was a specialty item that many enjoyed (including us here at The Takeout), but is perhaps best known for the peculiar memes and TikToks it spawned in the short time it was available in 2023. However, while the world was drinking Grimace Shakes and experiencing horror movie-esque consequences for doing so, Chris Kempczinski's review of the drink was anything but peculiar. Instead, the McDonald's CEO took a single sip of the Grimace Shake, gave his signature unconvincing "mmm" reaction, and said the line, "That tastes like something that Grimace would make," before ending the video. 

While this line could be taken in several different ways, given Grimace's identity as a villain-turned-ally in the McDU (McDonald's Universe), it certainly wasn't a convincing way to make viewers think Kempczinski enjoyed the drink. Nevertheless, the blueberry flavor that the Grimace Shake possessed was otherwise fairly well-liked by consumers who got the chance to try it during its limited run, with most believing that both the drink itself and the bizarre fan reaction to it were the perfect way to celebrate Grimace's birthday.