The Burger Wars, The Boardroom and The Lost Art of the Greasy Bite

Hello Beautiful Souls,

Grab a napkin. You might need it.

There is a war raging, and it isn’t on some distant battlefield. It’s happening in the fry tank and on the flat-tops of your local drive-thru. We are living through the "Burger Wars" and for the first time in a long time, we aren't just watching the food - we are watching the CEOs.

And honestly ? It’s been a wild ride.

It all started with a moment of great disconnection. You know the one. The CEO, in an attempt to defend his brand, looked at the camera and referred to the iconic burger as a "product".

A product.

In that single, sterile word, he isolated every single person who has ever bonded with friends over a late-night sack of burgers. It made us feel like cogs in a machine rather than customers with cravings. And then came the video of him eating the burger. It wasn't just unappetizing; it was dystopian. It looked like he was consuming a prop, or a lab-grown experiment. Suddenly, the internet wasn't just making fun of his bite; they were questioning the very makeup of the burger itself. Conspiracy theories started running wild - if that’s how the boss eats it, what are we actually being served?

Because we all know how it’s supposed to feel.

We know the exact joy of sinking your teeth into a burger where the sauces are just starting to drip, escaping the territory of the bun. We know the risk of wearing a white shirt, knowing full well that the freshly fried burger juice is about to stain it and you’re not even mad about it. It’s the badge of honor from a great meal. It’s the bun so soft your lips barely feel the pressure, but your taste buds are screaming with joy. It’s the whole experience that takes us to another level.

And for those of us who like to justify our indulgence (aka me), we tell ourselves it’s a balanced meal: carbs from the bun, protein and fats from the patty, and hey, there’s probably some slices of tomatoes, lettuce and onions in there somewhere - that’s our vitamins and minerals. It’s a beautiful, delicious thing I tell myself and I love it.

That’s why the recent trend of rival CEOs sinking their teeth into real, juicy burgers has been so effective. You have no idea how badly I wanted to grab every single burger I saw them eat. Even brands I’d never considered or heard of - I wanted to grab those, too. The way they sunk their teeth in, taking that big, messy chunk - that’s what we do and how we do it. That’s how you build reliability. It was a visual confirmation that the person in charge actually gets it.

For those of us who grew up in the 90s and early 2000s, it felt like a calling to the mothership. It reminded me of the burger places we used to go to. And I’ll tell you this now, I will be making my weekend stops real soon.

Speaking of getting it right, can we talk about the Burger King CEO? I have to give him a round of applause. He saw the trend, jumped on it, and actually made it positive. But more importantly, he took the feedback. He went to the customers and asked, "What do you want? What do you miss?" The answer was overwhelmingly the old ways. So, back to the drawing board he went.

And you know what? People are happy. It proves that sometimes, in the rush of busy shifts, push for sales, and sterile systems, we lose touch with what made these places great. We lose the customer service and the connection. I hope this serves as a wake-up call for the industry to listen to the people holding the wrappers.

It makes you wonder: How did they get so cold? I walk into some of these places now and I’m shocked by the minimalist, bland interior designs. It feels like a waiting room, not a place to enjoy a meal. (I will say this, I love the exception - like the restaurants they put in old, historic buildings in Italy. That charm works. But that’s a different story).

The other brands are definitely on the right track, but I want to give a special shoutout to a CEO who did this before it was a trend.

Remember the Red Lobster CEO? He reached out to the customers through social media. And he created that touchpoint, that reconnection. He basically communicated that there is a new leadership and this leadership is here to change things for the better.

He revamped the menu. He brought back the old items that the loyalists were begging for. He created a menu where there is something for everyone - a true sense of inclusion. He built the connection before the Burger Wars even became a headline.

The lesson here is simple: We don't want "products". We don't want a sterile transaction. We want the experience. We want the grease stain on the shirt. We want the CEO who isn't afraid to take a messy bite. Because when the leadership feels disconnected, the food starts to taste that way too.

Here’s to the bosses who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty.

So, as we watch these executives either fumble with foil wrappers or take glorious, messy bites, it begs the question: Did it actually work?

The "CEO Burger Wars" have been entertaining, for sure. But did it actually make you hungry? Did it convince you that the food is worthy of your time and your wallet?

I want to hear from you.

Drop your thoughts in the comments. Let’s settle this like true burger lovers - with opinions, passion, and maybe a little bit of grease on our keyboards.

Love Always,

Sarina xx