‘The absolute worst burger I’ve ever eaten’: why MrBeast, YouTuber with 170 million subscribers, is backing out of a food business

MrBeast – real name Jimmy Donaldson – is the world’s most popular YouTuber. He sought to leverage that by opening burger restaurants. Now he’s backing away

After bad reviews, he’s filed a legal case to exit the MrBeast Burger business he launched with a ghost kitchen firm – which is countersuing for US$100 million

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US YouTube personality Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, at a children’s awards show in Los Angeles. He has filed a lawsuit to exit the MrBeast Burger business he founded with a ghost kitchen firm. Photo: AFP

Published: 4:15am, 15 Aug 2023

It’s September 4, 2022, and around 10,000 people are shouting “Beast, Beast, Beast” in a shopping mall in the US state of New Jersey: YouTuber MrBeast is on his way to launch his first burger restaurant, and the crowd is hysterical.

MrBeast, real name Jimmy Donaldson, was building out his global MrBeast Burger business from its origins as a product made in “ghost kitchens” available only on delivery apps.

But he has since had a dramatic change of heart.

Donaldson, 25, recently crowned the world’s most popular YouTuber with more than 170 million subscribers, launched a legal case in late July against the suppliers of the burgers to end the deal.

A sandwich from MrBeast Burger. Customer reviews for its burgers have been bad. Photo: MrBeast Burger

The court filings include choice quotes from customers: “One New York reviewer, echoing the sentiments of thousands, stated that MrBeast Burger was ‘the absolute worst burger I’ve ever eaten in my entire life! It was like eating spoonfuls of garlic powder’.”