If I Were Barack Obama and Running a Burger Joint

Published 08.07.2025

Let’s be honest—most of us have imagined what it’d be like to be someone else. Not in a weird, lose-yourself-in-a-dreamlike state kind of way, but in that “what if I ran that business?” moment we all get halfway through eating a mediocre cheeseburger.

So I asked myself: what if I were Barack Obama? How would I run a chain of burger joints?

Now, I love a good burger—messy, honest, built with care. Much like hospitality should be. And as a longtime admirer of Mr. Obama (see MDPConcepts.com, under Role Models & Champions—yes, I made a section), this little thought experiment got surprisingly close to my real beliefs.

 

The Audacity of Angus 

Obama didn’t just lead—he inspired. So no surprise, the burger joint under my administration would be more than buns and beef. 

It would be a beacon of dignity, delight, and damn good meat.

Because we’re not just in the business of burgers—we’re in the business of belonging.

 

Yes We Can (Add Bacon)

Upselling wouldn’t be a transaction—it’d be a campaign. “Would you like to add bacon?”

Yes. We. Can.

You wouldn’t even hesitate. You’d feel patriotic doing it.

 

The Menu Would Be a Masterclass in Diplomacy 

Under my globally minded leadership, the specials board becomes a passport:

  • The Seoul Sizzler (gochujang-glazed perfection)

  • The Nice & Brie (Franco-American peace offering)

  • The Brussels Double Smash (charred sprouts, don’t shoot the messenger)

We’d build bridges with buns.

 

Guest Experience = Presidential Address 

You don’t walk into my burger joint. You arrive. The greeter doesn’t say “table for two?” They say, “My fellow diner…”

 And every menu? A motivational speech. Possibly laminated.

 

5. Staff = Trained, Paid, Respected

Now we’re into my actual day job.

 In my version of this burger fantasy, the team isn’t just filling shifts—they’re building something. Because hospitality without humanity is just… transactions in an apron.

So we’d pay people properly. Train them well. Celebrate them often. That’s how you build loyalty—and not just from customers.

 

6. The Burger Foundation (Yes, Really) 

Why not? If Barack can launch a global initiative, so can we. Our burger joint would quietly fund scholarships, small business mentoring, and maybe even a leadership retreat where you learn to run a kitchen and give a TED Talk.

Food, future, flavour. In that order.

 

7. The Cool Factor? Always On

Every now and then, I’d roll into a location in a bomber jacket, order a double cheeseburger and a milkshake, and somehow make the entire thing look like a campaign trail moment.

 Because presence matters. Even when you’re holding onion rings.

 

So why write this? 

Because picturing Barack Obama running a burger joint made me rethink what hospitality can look like when you lead with purpose, presence, and actual care for people.

It reminded me that hospitality isn't about food—it’s about how people feel when you serve it.

If your burger joint can feed someone’s hunger and their humanity? That’s the kind of leadership I believe in.

Now someone pass the fries.