Burger King must face lawsuit claiming its Whoppers are too small
Burger King's bid to dismiss a lawsuit claiming that it cheated hungry customers by making its Whopper sandwich appear larger than it actually is.
U.S. District Judge Roy Altman in Miami said Burger King must defend against a claim that its depiction of Whoppers on in-store menu boards mislead reasonable customers, amounting to a breach of contract.
Customers in the proposed class action accused Burger King of portraying burgers with ingredients that «overflow over the bun,» making it appear that the burgers are 35% larger and contain more than double the meat as the chain serves.
Burger King, a unit of Restaurant Brands International, countered that it wasn't required to deliver burgers that look «exactly like the picture,» but the judge said it was up to jurors to «tell us what reasonable people think.»
In his decision made public on Friday, Altman also let the customers pursue negligence-based and unjust enrichment claims.
He dismissed claims based on TV and online ads, finding none in which Burger King promised a burger «size,» or patty weight, and failed to deliver it.
Burger King and its lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.
The plaintiffs' lawyer was not immediately available for comment. Earlier efforts to mediate a settlement proved unsuccessful.
McDonald's and Wendy's are defending against a similar lawsuit in the Brooklyn, New York federal court.
