Fast-food chain Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) has launched a nationwide contest, promising a $100,000 package for the role of “Chief Tasting Officer”. The contest, which started on March 2, will continue until March 30.
The winner will be hired as an independent contractor and will have to meet certain social media content deliverables.
The contest is open to all legal residents of the 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., aged 18 or older. Participants can enter by posting a public 60-second video on Instagram or TikTok, or by uploading a submission through the official contest website.
The job listing, which questioned, “Do you care more about bacon than bottom lines?” was posted on a dedicated website outside Wendy’s corporate domain and on Wendy’s official X handle.
The listing hilariously pitches the role as “a job AI can’t steal because… no mouth duh,” and mentions the only requirements as: “A human mouth. A pulse. Opinions. Creativity. Taste.”
Burger War On Social Media
Wendy’s listing for this unique role did not come out of the blue. It just took a jab at last month’s viral Instagram reel, where McDonald‘s (NYSE:MCD) CEO Chris Kempczinski was spotted taking a tiny bite of the company’s new Big Arch burger—and couldn’t resist bragging about it. “I love this product, it is so good,” he said before making a point to state he’s “going to eat this for [his] lunch, just so you know.”
In no time, the reel garnered millions of views, with social media users mocking Kempczinski for using the word “product” to describe the burger and appearing stiff and uncomfortable.
Wendy’s mocked McDonald’s by posting a video of its U.S. President, Pete Suerken, enjoying a Baconator on X, captioned: “This is what it looks like when you don’t have to pretend to like your ‘product’.”
Earlier this week, Tom Curtis, President of Burger King, of parent company Restaurant Brands International (NYSE:QSR). appeared in a TikTok, sinking a hefty bite into the chain’s iconic Whopper, paired with the caption “thought we’d replay this.”
But Investors Are ‘Lovin’ McDonalds
Wendy’s is looking to boost its brand image and customer engagement. The company’s stock fell to $6.95, its lowest level in six years, on February 17, amid weak guidance and increasing Wall Street skepticism. Its U.S. same-restaurant sales fell 11.3%, while company-operated margins dropped from 16.5% to 12.7%, hit by weaker traffic and rising food and labor costs.
On the other hand, McDonald’s reported a strong fourth quarter, beating revenue and EPS estimates, driven by robust same-store sales, double-digit earnings growth, and rising U.S. traffic thanks to value promotions. BTIG analyst Peter Saleh highlighted that the brand’s value strategy is recapturing share with lower-income guests, while menu innovation could further boost earnings.
On a year-to-date basis, Wendy’s declined 10.47%, while McDonald’s surged 7.18%.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by a Benzinga editor.
Image via Shutterstock
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