[[wikipedia:Burger_King#Other_lawsuits|Burger King Corporation]] was founded in 1953 and is a subsidiary of [[Restaurant Brands International|Restaurant Brand International]] due to a $12.5 Billion merger with Tim Horton's. The company specialized in products such as their infamous [[wikipedia:Whopper|Whopper]] and fries, along with their own mobile app.
'''{{Wplink|Burger King|Burger King Corporation}}''' was founded in 1953 and is a subsidiary of [[Restaurant Brands International]] due to a $12.5 Billion merger with [[Tim Hortons]]. The company specializes in products such as their {{Wplink|Whopper}} and French fries, along with their own mobile app.
==Consumer-impact summary==
==Consumer-impact summary==
*Health Concerns
*User Freedom:
*False Advertising
*User Privacy:
*Security Concerns
*Business Model:
*Market Control:
==Incidents==
==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
===The German TV investigation===
===The German TV investigation (''2022'')===
A German TV show going by Team Wallraff released the episode "Disgust, Exploitation, and Scandals", on October 10, 2022, highlighting the companies several health violations, including; <ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Kostolni |first=Isabella |date=2025-04-21 |title=The 10 Worst Scandals In Burger King History |url=https://www.chowhound.com/1836670/worst-burger-king-scandals/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251210024915/https://www.chowhound.com/1836670/worst-burger-king-scandals/ |archive-date=2025-12-10 |access-date=2026-03-03 |website=chowhound}}</ref>
A German TV show going by Team Wallraff released the episode "Disgust, Exploitation, and Scandals", on 10 October 2022, highlighting the company's several health violations, including:<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Kostolni |first=Isabella |title=The 10 Worst Scandals In Burger King History |url=https://www.chowhound.com/1836670/worst-burger-king-scandals/ |website=chowhound |date=21 Apr 2025 |access-date=4 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250421201812/https://www.chowhound.com/1836670/worst-burger-king-scandals/ |archive-date=21 Apr 2025}}</ref>
*Customers were served moldy bread, usually up to 3 months old, and were partially cooked so customers wouldn't notice
*Customers were served moldy bread, usually up to 3 months old, and were partially cooked so customers wouldn't notice
Line 27:
Line 30:
*Pushed back expiry dates on products until sold
*Pushed back expiry dates on products until sold
After the episode aired, Burger King shut down all of the locations aired on the episode and released an public statement via their website, announcing plans to remodel over 100 restaurants, leadership changes with health director, and setting up a whistleblower hotline for any staff related concerns. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Dean |first=Grace |date=2022-10-10 |title=Some German Burger King restaurants served out-of-date bacon, had mouse infestations, and sold vegan burgers contaminated by meat, according to an undercover investigation |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/burger-king-expired-food-vegan-products-mice-maggots-hygiene-germany-2022-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721103957/https://www.businessinsider.com/burger-king-expired-food-vegan-products-mice-maggots-hygiene-germany-2022-10 |archive-date=2023-07-21 |access-date=2026-03-03 |website=Business Insider}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-29 |title=Press |url=https://www.burgerking.de/presse |url-status=live |archive-date= |access-date=2026-03-03 |website=Burger King}}</ref><blockquote>"clear training and operating standards are a top priority. Whenever we see an example of our strict standards not being followed, we accept the accountability of needing to train better and manage more thoroughly." -- Heather McIntyre[[File:Burger King Advertisment Product.png|thumb|Burger King Advertisement Product]][[File:Burger King Actual Burger Product.png|thumb|Burger King Actual Burger Product]]</blockquote>
After the episode aired, Burger King shut down all of the locations aired on the episode and released a public statement via their website, announcing plans to remodel over 100 restaurants, leadership changes with human resources director, and setting up a whistleblower hotline for any staff-related concerns.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dean |first=Grace |title=Some German Burger King restaurants served out-of-date bacon, had mouse infestations, and sold vegan burgers contaminated by meat, according to an undercover investigation |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/burger-king-expired-food-vegan-products-mice-maggots-hygiene-germany-2022-10 |website=Business Insider |date=10 Oct 2022 |access-date=4 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012101031/https://www.businessinsider.com/burger-king-expired-food-vegan-products-mice-maggots-hygiene-germany-2022-10 |archive-date=12 Oct 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=
|title=Statement Burger King® zur aktuellen Berichterstattung |trans-title=Burger King® statement regarding current media coverage |url=https://www.burgerking.de/presse |website=Burger King |date=29 Sep 2022 |access-date=4 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://megalodon.jp/2026-0305-1349-46/https://www.burgerking.de:443/presse |archive-date=5 Mar 2026 |lang=de}}</ref>
<blockquote>"clear training and operating standards are a top priority. Whenever we see an example of our strict standards not being followed, we accept the accountability of needing to train better and manage more thoroughly." -- Heather McIntyre [[File:Burger King advertisement product.png|thumb|Burger King Advertisement Product]][[File:Burger King actual burger product.png|thumb|Burger King Actual Burger Product]]</blockquote>
===Whopper advertisement lawsuit (''2022—'')===
On 28 March 2022, Walter Coleman, Marco DiLeonardo, Matthew Fox and Madelyn Salzman, and several other customers filed a lawsuit against Burger King for allegedly false advertising by showing their burgers to appear 35% larger than the actual product. On 5 May 2025, U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman allowed the case to proceed, citing enough justification for it to not be a "mere exaggeration".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Jessy |title=Court won’t dismiss Burger King’s Whopper ad lawsuit |url=https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/consumer-products/food/burger-king-class-action-alleges-burger-size-grossly-exaggerated-in-ads/ |website=Top Class Actions |date=16 May 2025 |access-date=4 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260305045839/https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/consumer-products/food/burger-king-class-action-alleges-burger-size-grossly-exaggerated-in-ads/ |archive-date=5 Mar 2026}}</ref>
A Burger King spokesman responded that "the plaintiffs claims are false. The flame-grilled beef patties portrayed in our advertising are the same patties used in the millions of burgers we serve to Guests across the U.S.".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lavietes |first=Matt |title=Judge allows lawsuit over Burger King's Whopper ads to move forward |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/judge-allows-lawsuit-burger-kings-whopper-ads-move-forward-rcna205304 |website=NBC News |date=7 May 2025 |access-date=4 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250507143219/https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/judge-allows-lawsuit-burger-kings-whopper-ads-move-forward-rcna205304 |archive-date=7 May 2025}}</ref>
===Whopper Advertisement Lawsuit===
On 2 December 2025, Judge Altman ruled that the plaintiffs' lawsuit would not be granted class-action status due to the claims being too dissimilar to be joined into a single case.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Milovanovic |first=Stefan |title=Burger King wins major victory in Whopper lawsuit |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/burger-king-wins-major-victory-in-whopper-lawsuit/ar-AA1RztfG |website=MSN |date=2 Dec 2025 |access-date=4 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260305052714/https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/burger-king-wins-major-victory-in-whopper-lawsuit/ar-AA1RztfG |archive-date=5 Mar 2026}}</ref>
On March 28, 2022, Walter Coleman, Marco DiLeonardo, Matthew Fox and Madelyn Salzman, and several other customers filed a lawsuit against Burger King for allegedly false advertising their burgers to appear 35% larger than the actual product. On May 5, 2025, U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman allowed the case to proceed, citing enough justification for it to not be a mere "exaggeration" <ref>{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Jessy |date=2025-05-16 |title=Court won’t dismiss Burger King’s Whopper ad lawsuit |url=https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/consumer-products/food/burger-king-class-action-alleges-burger-size-grossly-exaggerated-in-ads/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-03 |website=Top Class Actions}}</ref>
A Burger King spokesman responded by saying;<blockquote>
Whopper (Release Date): Summary of incidents
"the plaintiffs’ claims are false. The flame-grilled beef patties portrayed in our advertising are the same patties used in the millions of burgers we serve to guests across the U.S.." <ref>{{Cite web |last=Lavietes |first=Matt |date=2025-03-03 |title=Judge allows lawsuit over Burger King's Whopper ads to move forward |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/judge-allows-lawsuit-burger-kings-whopper-ads-move-forward-rcna205304 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260303232653/https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/judge-allows-lawsuit-burger-kings-whopper-ads-move-forward-rcna205304 |archive-date=2025-05-07 |access-date=2026-03-03 |website=NBC News}}</ref></blockquote>
== See also ==
Example (Release): Summary of incidents
==See also==
*[[McDonald's]]
*[[McDonald's]]
*[[Wendy's]]
*[[Wendy's]]
*Arby's
*[[Arby's]]
==References==
==References==
Latest revision as of 00:50, 5 April 2026
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This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the Burger King category.
A German TV show going by Team Wallraff released the episode "Disgust, Exploitation, and Scandals", on 10 October 2022, highlighting the company's several health violations, including:[1]
Customers were served moldy bread, usually up to 3 months old, and were partially cooked so customers wouldn't notice
Employees didn't wash their hands after smoking, taking out trash, or using the bathroom
One Restaurant was infected with Mice
Expired contents in Sauce bottles were added with new sauce without being washed.
Pushed back expiry dates on products until sold
After the episode aired, Burger King shut down all of the locations aired on the episode and released a public statement via their website, announcing plans to remodel over 100 restaurants, leadership changes with human resources director, and setting up a whistleblower hotline for any staff-related concerns.[2][3]
"clear training and operating standards are a top priority. Whenever we see an example of our strict standards not being followed, we accept the accountability of needing to train better and manage more thoroughly." -- Heather McIntyre
Burger King Advertisement ProductBurger King Actual Burger Product
On 28 March 2022, Walter Coleman, Marco DiLeonardo, Matthew Fox and Madelyn Salzman, and several other customers filed a lawsuit against Burger King for allegedly false advertising by showing their burgers to appear 35% larger than the actual product. On 5 May 2025, U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman allowed the case to proceed, citing enough justification for it to not be a "mere exaggeration".[4]
A Burger King spokesman responded that "the plaintiffs claims are false. The flame-grilled beef patties portrayed in our advertising are the same patties used in the millions of burgers we serve to Guests across the U.S.".[5]
On 2 December 2025, Judge Altman ruled that the plaintiffs' lawsuit would not be granted class-action status due to the claims being too dissimilar to be joined into a single case.[6]
