Illinois Man Sues McDonald's over "Extra Value Meal"

[BigMac1212]

Geez, anybody can sue for anything in 'Merica. Extra Value Meal costing more than going a la carte? Sue the Golden Arches!

USAToday Article

I am not joking. That's the premise.

Can we have a memorandum on lawsuits in America for a while? Just so we can settle what's frivolous and what's legit?

Click to read more...

 

[Hammettf2b]

He seeks class-action status for a consumer fraud and deceptive practices lawsuit against McDonald’s operator Karis Management.

Damn right!!! Although, if your too dumb to figure it out yourself, well, I guess that's your own fault.

 

[BigMac1212]

Damn right!!! Although, if your too dumb to figure it out yourself, well, I guess that's your own fault.

You might as well levy that lawsuit against ALL fast food chains in the States. What's bad for the goose is bad for the gander, as I always say.

 

[Finnish your Czech]

Damn right!!! Although, if your too dumb to figure it out yourself, well, I guess that's your own fault.

Are you saying it's your own fault for not knowing if a la carte menu items are cheaper than combos.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

How many of you geniuses specifically check to make sure that meals are less (or at least the same price) than all their contents individually?

 

[Hammettf2b]

Are you saying it's your own fault for not knowing if a la carte menu items are cheaper than combos.

I mean, all you have to do is look at the prices, right?

 

[Hammettf2b]

How many of you geniuses specifically check to make sure that meals are less (or at least the same price) than all their contents individually?

Which is why the lawsuit was created.

 

[BigMac1212]

I mean, all you have to do is look at the prices, right?

The one part you don't know offhand is the local sales tax in the area. And in a major metropolitan area, there can be dozens of different taxes in a big area.

 

[Hammettf2b]

The one part you don't know offhand is the local sales tax in the area. And in a major metropolitan area, there can be dozens of different taxes in a big area.

True, but isn't that an argument FOR the lawsuit?

 

[tarheelhockey]

The one part you don't know offhand is the local sales tax in the area. And in a major metropolitan area, there can be dozens of different taxes in a big area.

What difference does that make? The sales tax is going to be based on the subtotal, no matter how you combine different items to get to that subtotal.

Making a "value" combo more expensive than the individual items is pretty blatantly a deceptive practice. The only unfortunate thing is that it takes a private citizen risking his own money and reputation in a lawsuit to do something about this sort of thing. It ought to be as simple as reporting them to the state's Attorney General for an investigation.

 

[RandV]

From the article:

He seeks class-action status for a consumer fraud and deceptive practices lawsuit against McDonald’s operator Karis Management.

This isn't one of those frivolous lawsuits where the claimant seeks great damages over petty things, rather the guy is trying to slap McDonald's with a fine over a misleading business practice.

I'd never go through the effort myself but I'm fully onboard with these types of lawsuits.

 

[Alex Jones]

Geez, anybody can sue for anything in 'Merica. Extra Value Meal costing more than going a la carte? Sue the Golden Arches!

USAToday Article

I am not joking. That's the premise.

Can we have a memorandum on lawsuits in America for a while? Just so we can settle what's frivolous and what's legit?

Yea it's silly, but we actually need more lawsuits in America, Tort reform and anti litigation sentiments have actually lowered the number of lawsuits in America, and it's reducing the ability of average individuals to stand for their rights.

 

[AnAceOfKidneys]

always thought it strange that although ClownDiner was advertising $1 summer drinks, my McChicken combo was costing me $14. I always assumed ClownDiner had my best interests at heart. I feel betrayed and will never give those crooks at ClownDiner another green dime.

 

[tarheelhockey]

As to the question of whether the onus should be on the customer to figure it out -- the fast food model of service makes it impractical to calculate the cost of different options while you're ordering. Often you're in a drive-thru, or a busy location where you need to order quickly and move along.

It's a reasonable assumption, based on the name and nature of a Value Meal or Combo, that the combined package will cost equal or less than the individual items put together. That's a standard business practice which encourages customers to move through their order quickly rather than picking through the menu, as well as creating cost efficiencies which usually allow for a slight discount.

Making it the more expensive option abuses the public's trust in standard ordering procedures. It's a cheap trick, not a legitimate business practice. The company absolutely deserves to be fined for this.

 

[jw2]

Fine the dumb customers that spent more.


Oh, wait... they already did.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

'Murica

 

[aleshemsky83]

I dont see the problem, its false advertising. The guy is not wrong.

I thought we covered how deceptive "frivolous lawsuit" stuff was with Hot Coffee already, doesn't everybody know by now?

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

As to the question of whether the onus should be on the customer to figure it out -- the fast food model of service makes it impractical to calculate the cost of different options while you're ordering. Often you're in a drive-thru, or a busy location where you need to order quickly and move along.

It's a reasonable assumption, based on the name and nature of a Value Meal or Combo, that the combined package will cost equal or less than the individual items put together. That's a standard business practice which encourages customers to move through their order quickly rather than picking through the menu, as well as creating cost efficiencies which usually allow for a slight discount.

Making it the more expensive option abuses the public's trust in standard ordering procedures. It's a cheap trick, not a legitimate business practice. The company absolutely deserves to be fined for this.

B..But..But...... Lawsuits and murica and greed!!1!

 

[HisIceness]

Reminds me of the guy who tried to sue McDonalds because no one who works for the restaurant told the guy that the food was causing him to experience obesity.

Then there was the guy who sued them for $1.5 million because they didn't give the customer enough napkins.

Hmm, the last time I went to a McDonalds, they ran out of their sweet tea and I had to wait for them to refill the container. I guess I missed out on an opportunity here. Perhaps I'd be so rich today I could buy the Carolina Hurricanes, but no I didn't.

 

[karnige]

typical murica

 

[Hall of Faber]

How many of you geniuses specifically check to make sure that meals are less (or at least the same price) than all their contents individually?

Honestly me. Im super cheap though.

 

[Stuzchuk]

...also, apparently is hot in "Murica

 

[Alex Jones]

Reminds me of the guy who tried to sue McDonalds because no one who works for the restaurant told the guy that the food was causing him to experience obesity.

Then there was the guy who sued them for $1.5 million because they didn't give the customer enough napkins.

Hmm, the last time I went to a McDonalds, they ran out of their sweet tea and I had to wait for them to refill the container. I guess I missed out on an opportunity here. Perhaps I'd be so rich today I could buy the Carolina Hurricanes, but no I didn't.

Yea, there are actually less lawsuits today because of the spread of "fake lawsuit" propaganda. Companies pay literally millions for PR firms that smear people that sue them so that they can play the "frivolous lawsuit" game and continually make it harder for people to take corporations to court. Organizations that are run by business interests such as the Chamber of Commerce push these stories ad nauseam so that regular people have less legal protections.

Any dumb lawsuit will get trumpteted to the heavens by big business, and the thousands of legitimate lawsuits against corporate overreach usually get settled with a nice non disclosure agreement so that nobody can ever find out. Don't believe the hype.

 

[Kestrel]

Yea, there are actually less lawsuits today because of the spread of "fake lawsuit" propaganda. Companies pay literally millions for PR firms that smear people that sue them so that they can play the "frivolous lawsuit" game and continually make it harder for people to take corporations to court. Organizations that are run by business interests such as the Chamber of Commerce push these stories ad nauseam so that regular people have less legal protections.

Any dumb lawsuit will get trumpteted to the heavens by big business, and the thousands of legitimate lawsuits against corporate overreach usually get settled with a nice non disclosure agreement so that nobody can ever find out. Don't believe the hype.

Are you sure you want to wander into the lounge? As bad as the Politics forum gets, this forum is much more allergic to truth and reason.

 

[Ceremony]

Are you sure you want to wander into the lounge? As bad as the Politics forum gets, this forum is much more allergic to truth and reason.

going to go out on a limb here and say your self-righteousness is misplaced