The fast-food industry has had its fair share of legal tussles, from labor disputes to copyright infringement. However, some lawsuits stand out for their sheer absurdity, and the fact that they ring of being blatant money grabs.
Here are five of the dumbest lawsuits ever filed against fast food restaurants.
5. The McDonald’s “Too Hot Coffee” Lawsuit
While the infamous lawsuit brought by Stella Liebeck in 1992, who suffered third-degree burns from a cup of McDonald’s coffee, had legitimacy and brought attention to a serious issue, it also opened the floodgates for frivolous hot coffee lawsuits. For instance, a man from New Hampshire attempted to sue McDonald’s claiming their coffee was too hot after he spilled some on his lap while driving, despite warnings clearly stated on the cup.
4. The Subway “Footlong” Controversy
A group of customers filed a class-action lawsuit against Subway in 2013 after discovering that their “footlong” sandwiches were, in fact, slightly shorter than 12 inches. The lawsuit was eventually thrown out, with the presiding judge noting that the term “footlong” was intended as a descriptive term and not a measurement of length.
3. McDonald’s Happy Meal Fiasco
In 2010, a California mother sued McDonald’s, claiming that the toys included in Happy Meals lured children into eating unhealthy food. The suit was eventually dismissed, with the judge noting that it is the responsibility of the parent, not the company, to dictate a child’s diet.
2. The Starbuck’s Ice Ice Baby Lawsuit
In 2016, a man Alexander Forouzesh filed a suit claiming that Starbuck’s was serving up cold beverages wherein the majority of the cups were filled with ice. This would be the second suit filed by a consumer over the issue.
A woman named, Stacy Pincus, filed a 29-page complaint against Starbucks claiming that Starbucks was decieving customers by using less liquid in their beverages than ice.
Both cases were eventually thrown out.
1. The McDonald’s “I’m Not Lovin’ It” Suit
A man from New York attempted to sue McDonald’s for $1.5 million because he received only one napkin with his meal. When offered free burgers as compensation, he refused and proceeded with the lawsuit. The case was dismissed, with the court noting that his damages claim was excessive and unjustified
These lawsuits represent some of the more questionable moments in the intersection of fast food and law. While there are legitimate concerns and cases in the industry, these examples show that the court system can sometimes be misused, leading to frivolous and downright dumb lawsuits.
