Have you ever been pulled in by a fast food advertisement and decided to purchase a meal only to be ultimately disappointed when your food looked nothing like the photos? If this rings a bell, you can probably relate to Walter Coleman, one of the plaintiffs currently leading a class-action lawsuit against Burger King.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Coleman and his fellow plaintiffs are fed up with misleading advertisements and food that doesn’t live up to their expectations, specifically when it comes to size. In fact, they claim that Burger King advertisements misrepresent the actual size of the fast food restaurant’s menu items by 35%—that is quite the difference! The plaintiffs are asking for their money back and also demand that Burger King stops deceiving consumers with inaccurate images.
Allegedly, the burgers shown in Burger King’s advertisements have larger patties, more toppings, and more than double the meat. No wonder we’re always surprised by the actual size! It’s also no wonder people are upset and feel they’re not getting their money’s worth. The lawsuit claims that “Burger King’s advertisements for its burgers and menu items are unfair and financially damaging consumers as they are receiving food that is much lower in value than what was promised.”
The lawsuit calls out several specific items that are misrepresented in advertisements, including sandwiches like the Single Quarter Pound King, Fully Loaded Croissan'Wich, and, of course, the infamous Whopper. Apparently, Burger King's fibbing advertisements started back in September of 2017.
To back up the lawsuit's claims that Burger King is repeatedly pulling the wool over consumers' eyes, the plaintiffs in this case have compiled a series of angry tweets and media reports; it seems there's a substantial amount of people who feel strongly about this issue.
Florida-based attorney Anthony Russo, who is handling this case, told the Washington Post that holding large corporations like Burger King accountable when it comes to issues like this is essential if we want to avoid being continually misled. "Little situations—what someone would consider to be a little situation like this—could lead to unfettered behavior from big corporations," he said.
Russo also notes that just because lawsuits like this one may seem silly or miniscule, that doesn't mean they're not important or valuable. "Big or small, justice is justice, and laws are laws," he says.
So, if one day in the future you see a Burger King advertisement with a Whopper that looks a little smaller than usual (35% smaller, to be exact) you can rejoice over the fact that accuracy has been restored and justice has been served!
