A video recently went viral that contrasts brutally with what happened to the CEO of McDonald's. While Chris Kempczinski looked uncomfortable biting into his own burgers, Ron Vachris from Costco simply enjoyed a hot dog with a soda like any regular customer. The difference was enormous, and social media didn’t take long to notice.

The challenge of the “Taste Test” became a trend after McDonald's came out badly. Other CEOs and fast-food chain executives saw the opportunity and started replicating the format, but this time doing it right. Ron Vachris appears in the video in Costco’s food area, takes his combo, and looks completely natural enjoying the product. He even mentions something key: the price of the $1.50 hot dog isn’t going to change as long as he’s there. That’s what people wanted to hear.

What’s interesting is who Ron Vachris really is. He’s not an executive who came from outside with an MBA from some fancy university. This guy started from the ground up in 1982 as a forklift operator at Costco. He spent more than 40 years climbing internally, working in warehouse operations, regional supervision, corporate management, and eventually leading the real estate division. That’s important context because it explains why his video feels authentic: Ron Vachris knows the business from the inside, from the foundations.

In 2024, he reached the top leadership at Costco, following the company’s philosophy of promoting leadership from within. His style is different from that of other executives because Costco keeps a low profile for its leaders. They don’t try to be everywhere with the CEO’s face in every campaign. Ron Vachris’s appearance in this video wasn’t part of a constant media strategy— it was simply the right moment.

After the McDonald's video, other CEOs jumped in. Tom Curtis from Burger King came out 24 hours later with his own Whopper, biting into it confidently and even licking his fingers. While Kempczinski talked about “products,” Curtis talked about “food.” Then came videos from Wendy’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, A&W, and Jack in the Box, all subtly mocking McDonald's failure. Even brands outside the industry like Ryanair and Dude Wipes jumped on the bandwagon.

But Ron Vachris pulled off something different. His video wasn’t about mocking another CEO; it was about genuinely showing why Costco works. A leader who knows his company, respects the price of his products, and looks comfortable being himself. That resonated far more than they probably expected.