When a big company trips up in front of everyone, smaller players jump at the chance to shine, and this time, a favorite Texas burger joint ran with it. Patrick Terry, who started P. Terry’s Burger Stand in Austin, threw his hat into the viral burger CEO frenzy this week. But he didn’t just pile on. While most fast food chains rushed to roast McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski, Terry kicked off his video in a different tone.
Terry immediately set himself apart from every other chain that had piled on McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski. Terry opened, “By now you’ve seen the CEO of McDonald’s try and eat a hamburger, and yes, it was embarrassing, and the competition made fun of him. I get it. But I don’t wanna do that today.”
So, Terry just grabbed his usual lunch and took everyone step by step through what he eats every day. He had a double cheeseburger, made from all-natural Black Angus beef, no hormones or antibiotics, two slices of cheese melting over the patties, crisp lettuce, tomato, and their special sauce.
Fries are fresh Idaho potatoes, delivered to every P. Terry’s every couple of days, then hand-cut right there. And to top it off, a strawberry shake with zero artificial colors or ingredients.
But the best part came at the end. Terry admitted eating on camera made him “a little uncomfortable,” so he did something different: a giveaway. He asked people to comment, said he would pick ten names, and promised to meet them for lunch at their favorite P. Terry’s. Bring your friends, he said, lunch is on him.
People loved Terry’s no-nonsense style. They called it the most refreshing thing to come out of this whole burger CEO saga. While billion-dollar chains traded snarky corporate shots, a Texas CEO quietly stepped up and showed everyone what a burger should really be about: real ingredients, nothing to be embarrassed about, and an open invite to grab lunch.
Internet Reacts to Texas-Based P. Terry’s Joining Burger Wars
The moment quickly sparked debate online, with many users poking fun at the backlash. “The McDonald’s CEO is taking some serious heat over that bite. Who knew one bite could take so much damage. Bet he’d take the biggest bite ever now after all this backlash,” one person wrote.
Some commenters used the moment to promote smaller restaurants. “Time to support and bring back small burger stands across America,” a user said. Another added, “Never heard of P Terry’s but for my cheat meal I wouldn’t mind trying them. I mean, if they actually are angus, free of dyes/coloring, etc I would try them for sure.”
Others debated food quality and ingredients. “Just because u hand cut them in a store doesn’t mean their not sprayed with chemicals beforehand how stupid can people be,” one comment read. Another asked, “Are your fries cooked in beef tallow? Is your bun made with organic round up free wheat? That’s important for your fast food to pass the health test.”
A few reactions were more charitable toward the executive. “Another CEO who I believe eats his own ‘product’ but actually enjoys it,” one person added.
This so-called burger CEO war has given these brands more free publicity than they could ever pay for. But while the big names chased attention, P. Terry’s just did their thing. They reminded Texas, and now pretty much everyone online, that sometimes the smart move is simple. Just eat your lunch and let the food speak for itself.
