Move over, McDonald’s. Wendy’s wants someone who actually enjoys eating a burger.
The fast-food chain is on the hunt for a Chief Tasting Officer — and unlike a certain Golden Arches executive who went viral last week for taking a barely-there nibble of his own product, whoever lands this gig will be expected to eat with enthusiasm. And get paid handsomely for it.
The timing is hard to miss. McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski made headlines after a video posted to his Instagram went viral, showing the fast-food giant’s chief executive attempting to taste-test the chain’s newest menu addition, the Big Arch burger, in what many described as a masterclass in how not to eat a hamburger on camera. Mr. Kempczinski referred to the burger repeatedly as “the product” and “this,” calling it “burger” only twice throughout the clip, a choice that sent the internet into a frenzy of mockery and memes.
Wendy’s, for its part, appears to have taken notes.
Through a new contest, the chain is looking to hire a Chief Tasting Officer who will take on an independent contractor role and a $100,000 salary, tasked with creating promotional content such as taste-testing videos. As Wendy’s put it in its own promotional language: “Basically, you’ll get paid to eat Wendy’s, be chill, maybe make some content and maybe even star in ads.”
Applications close at 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, March 30, so would-be burger enthusiasts don’t have much time to waste.
SEE ALSO: McDonald’s CEO tries to sell America on the Big Arch — it did not go as planned
How to apply
There are three ways to enter, but all require submitting a video of up to 60 seconds explaining why you need the opportunity to become Wendy’s Chief Tasting Officer. Entrants are encouraged to incorporate Wendy’s branding, food products or a restaurant in their submissions.
Videos can be posted to Instagram or TikTok using the hashtag #WendysCTOContest and tagging Wendy’s official account, or submitted directly through wendyschieftastingofficer.com. On either social platform, applicants must follow Wendy’s official account and post publicly — Stories don’t count.
Who’s eligible and how winners are chosen
The contest is open to legal U.S. residents aged 18 and older. Wendy’s employees and their immediate family members are not eligible.
A panel of judges will narrow submissions down to 10 finalists, evaluating entries on creativity, brand love, brand safety, personality and potential — each worth 20% of the score. Entries that incorporate Wendy’s products, logos or branding receive an additional five bonus points.
The 10 finalists will then advance to an interview round, where they’ll be judged on execution, reach, uniqueness and willingness.
As for Mr. Kempczinski, McDonald’s has declined to comment on the viral moment, and the CEO himself has not addressed it publicly, though McDonald’s social media team has been leaning into the joke on his behalf. Perhaps a career change is in order. Wendy’s is hiring.
This article is written with the assistance of generative artificial intelligence based solely on Washington Times original reporting and wire services. For more information, please read our AI policy or contact Steve Fink, Director of Artificial Intelligence, at sfink@washingtontimes.com
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