Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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.
Chapters:
00:00 – Analyzing a Viral Moment
02:15 – Should CEOs Stay Off Social Media?
03:45 – Marketing in the Creator Economy vs. the 30-Second Spot
04:45 – Navigating Politics from Trump to Harris at the Golden Arches
07:00 – Value vs. Premium: The Big Arch and the $5 Meal
11:00 – Serving Two Americas Across Income Levels
12:30 – The Economics of Inflation: Beef, Labor, and Franchisee Margins
17:00 – Winning the Fast-Food War: Scale as a Competitive Edge
19:30 – Redefining the Experience: The Science of Taste and "Priming"
21:00 – Why McDonald’s is Adding More Chicken to its Menus
WSJ’s Bold Names brings you conversations with the leaders of the bold-named companies featured in the pages of The Wall Street Journal. Host Tim Higgins speaks to CEOs and business leaders in interviews that challenge conventional wisdom and take you inside the decisions being made in the C-suite and beyond.
Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com
#Tech #Business #WSJ
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.
Chapters:
00:00 – Analyzing a Viral Moment
02:15 – Should CEOs Stay Off Social Media?
03:45 – Marketing in the Creator Economy vs. the 30-Second Spot
04:45 – Navigating Politics from Trump to Harris at the Golden Arches
07:00 – Value vs. Premium: The Big Arch and the $5 Meal
11:00 – Serving Two Americas Across Income Levels
12:30 – The Economics of Inflation: Beef, Labor, and Franchisee Margins
17:00 – Winning the Fast-Food War: Scale as a Competitive Edge
19:30 – Redefining the Experience: The Science of Taste and "Priming"
21:00 – Why McDonald’s is Adding More Chicken to its Menus
WSJ’s Bold Names brings you conversations with the leaders of the bold-named companies featured in the pages of The Wall Street Journal. Host Tim Higgins speaks to CEOs and business leaders in interviews that challenge conventional wisdom and take you inside the decisions being made in the C-suite and beyond.
Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com
#Tech #Business #WSJ
