Fast food chains like McDonald's have been pushing cheese on us for years.
We all know the story about the stupid lady who sued McDonald’s because she spilled hot coffee in her lap.
We all know about the fat kids who got fat eating Mickey D’s three times a day . . . then sued.
The history of McDonald’s — or at least the modern history of McDonald’s — has become a symbol of America’s overly litigious society. Once upon a time, the corporation exemplified American entrepreneurial success. But today, it represents American instant gratification — not only in terms of the food it serves quickly, but the get-rich-quick lawsuits it consistently inspires.
I’m no fan of most McDonald’s lawsuits. I wasn’t sure I would ever condone a single one of them — that is, until I learned about the latest.
In 2005, a West Virginia man by the name of Jeromy Jackson bit into a Quarter Pounder in a dark room where he was watching a movie. He thought he had made it perfectly clear he couldn’t eat cheese on his sandwich. But then, with his first bite, he suffered a violent allergic reaction — forcing his mother and friend to rush him to the hospital, where he reportedly darn near died.
Jackson & Co. are now suing McDonald’s for $10 million. And, understandably, most folks will roll their eyes when they first hear this story and read that gargantuan figure.
I am not lactose intolerant, but I sympathize with Jackson. Moreover, I have no sympathy whatsoever for McDonald’s here. True, had he lifted his bun and checked before biting, Jackson could have saved himself from harm. But at what point do we say enough is enough already? McDonald’s “mistake” was no honest error. These fast food chains have been pushing cheese on us for years.
Walk into any one of these places and you’ll see for yourself firsthand. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone into Wendy’s and ordered a hamburger, only to hear the first words from their mouth: “You want that with cheese?”
Of course I don’t want that with cheese. If I wanted it with cheese, I would’ve ordered a cheeseburger — not a hamburger. Why not ask if I want it with a colonoscopy at that point? Because in case you haven’t noticed, I didn’t order one of those, either.
This — and not something crazy, like my health — is the reason I’ve virtually cut fast food from my regular diet. I just can’t take the blatant slaps in my face anymore. If I’m gonna eat cheese on a burger, it’s gonna be a nice, freshly sliced piece of cheese I get from the deli — not the cold sheet of unmelted vulcanized rubber they serve at my local McDonald’s.
Even after specifically not ordering a cheeseburger, and specifically telling them no, I don’t want cheese on my non-cheeseburger, they still put cheese on it half the time anyway. I’m fed up with it. We should all be fed up with it. Especially those of us who are lactose intolerant, such as Jeromy Jackson.
For $10 million, there’s no doubt in my mind Jackson’s lawsuit has a certain get-rich-quick quality to it. But if it puts these evil cheese peddlers at McDonald’s in their place, then I say do it. Sue the cheese out of them.
Maybe next time you’ll serve me what I actually ordered — instead of sandwiching your hate-filled, cheese-pushing agenda between two soggy buns.
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Read more articles by Jonathan David Morris
Now here's a novel idea: If you don't like the food or service you receive at a place, NEVER GO THERE AGAIN!
One of the beauties of the Free Enterprise system is that you hold the power of the purse. A second rate business either cleans up its act or it goes blotto. Take care of your customers and they'll take care of you, otherwise be ready to close your doors.
As for the clerk asking, "Do you want cheese?" I would like a dollar for every customer who ordered something, picked it up and subsequently returned to the counter and said, "Oh, I wanted…on it" as though the clerk should have known that when taking the order. Unfortunately, there are too many of us who expect the salespeople to read our minds.
The answer is to specify what you want or don't want; but for too many people that's too much trouble.
As for the lawsuit, I think it bull. People have gotten to expect everyone else to look out for them or to keep them away from their own stupidity. Look at some of the warnings enclosed with products you buy. They warn you in effect not to do stupid and outrageous things with their product. Why the warning? Because some idiot is liable to do exactly that, then sue because the company didn't warn him he shouldn't do that. Unfortunately juries of fellow idiots will usually award Mr/Mrs Moron a huge award for being an ignoramus.
Now if you have a problem — like some with severe medical allergies, etc. — it's up to you to safeguard and protect yourself. It's not up to the rest of the world to look out for you. It's up to you to use caution. My wife is highly allergic to mushrooms. So when we eat out she makes sure whatever she eats does not contain any. She will specifically, for example, ask about the contents of a sauce and tell the server about her allergy when ordering to make sure it doesn't contain any. She will also "eyeball" any food before eating it to make sure it doen't contain any mushrooms.
I for one am fed up with people with allergies who expect and demand the rest of the world to cater to them. If you have a problem don't expect the rest of the world to roll over for you. Example, a child has an allergy to peanuts so the school prohibits all the students from bringing peanut butter sandwhiches or snacks to school for lunch. Why not have the child with the allergy eat in a seperate area? Oh No — everyone else has to cater to HIS problem. This country has gotten to the insane point where the vast majority yields to a small minority.
As for the kid in the story — both he and his parents should have used due diligence. But again we have laws that favor the ignorant. A part of that is the "deep pockets" legal principle. In this, even if a jury finds the family 99% responsible and McDonald's 1% responsible, McDonald's has too pay the full award because they have the money.
Well I guess that's not surprising in a country that produces nothing but hype, glitz, scams and lawsuits.
Comment by NHGrouch | August 17, 2007
I had the exact opposite problem at McDonalds. The quarter pounder comes with a top and bottom bun, 2 slices of meat, and 2 pieces of cheese. The Big Mac, at the time, came with a top, bottom, and middle bun, 2 slices of meat, and 1 (one) slice of cheese. I asked for another slice of cheese and was denied. I said I'd pay for it and was still denied. So I shoved the sandwich back at them, went across the street to that then new chain, Burger King, and never set foot in a McDonalds for 5 years (McNuggets with honey lured me back).
Comment by Pirat | August 17, 2007