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Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Burger King lawsuit over questionable Whopper claim moves forward
Business Burger King lawsuit over questionable Whopper claim moves forward Many people can relate to purchasing a product after seeing it in an advertisement, and the same can be said about being disappointed by the product after seeing it in real life. Making products look better or enhancing them in advertisements is a common practice in the industry, especially regarding food. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Advertising agencies have confessed to not using the actual food item to make the advertisement look aesthetically pleasing to the eye and enticing to people's ravenous appetite. Many might remember the using glue for milk revelation. Related: Another fast-food burger chain is quietly closing locations However, this leaves many wondering what the borderline between reality and illusion is, and how far a company can go before it crosses the line into deception. Unfortunately for Restaurant Brand International's (QSR) , it may have gone a bit too far and now some customers are out for revenge. Burger King sued over deceptive practices. Image source: Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/picture alliance via Getty Images Burger King is sued by its customers Nineteen customers from 13 states filed a class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in March 2022 against Burger King for allegedly engaging in deceitful practices. The complainants claim that the company was using false advertising in-store and online to promote Burger King's Whopper burger, among other menu items, by making them appear bigger than their actual size. As stated in the lawsuit, the plaintiffs purchased Burger King's products in each of their home states and were disappointed by the difference in portion size between the advertisement and the real-life product. They also claim that they wouldn't have bought the burgers if they had been aware of the discrepancies in size. The accusers backed the allegations by presenting side-by-side images comparing Burger King's former Whopper burger advertisement with the current ones and real-life photos, aiming to prove that "the burger increased in size by approximately 35% and the amount of beef increased by more than 100%." They also added that although the Whopper's size increased materially in the advertisements, the amount of beef and ingredients didn't for the real-life version. Related: McDonald's menu adds experimental new items fans will love In its defense, Burger King claims that the "food in the advertisements has always been styled to make it look as appetizing as possible. That is hardly news; reasonable consumers viewing food advertising know it innately. This lawsuit unreasonably pretends otherwise." Additionally, the burger chain said that the description on its online menu clarifies how much beef the Whopper contains, which states that the patty is a quarter pound. Therefore, Burger King filed an order for the lawsuit to be dismissed immediately in August 2023, claiming the accusations were false and exaggerated. A ruling is made regarding the lawsuit's proceedings three years later Nearly three years after the initial lawsuit was filed, a ruling was finally made on whether to proceed with it or not, and the outcome may surprise many. U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman ruled on May 5 that the lawsuit could proceed, agreeing that the claims "go beyond mere exaggeration or puffery" and may cause customers to be falsely misled. More Retail News: "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.," said a Burger King spokesperson in the company's defense after the ruling was revealed. The plaintiffs seek monetary compensation for all the damages caused by Burger King's alleged deceptive practices and for the company to stop creating overstated advertising or discontinue the inaccurately sized menu items. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc. This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 2:46 PM.
Local Germany
29-04-2025
- General
- Local Germany
Everything you need know about Germany's sacred 'Biergarten' culture
Germany celebrated its National Beer Day on April 23rd. The day itself commemorates the introduction of a law in 1516 which set out strict regulations for brewing and selling beer in Bavaria. The world's oldest consumer protection law still in use, Bavaria's Reinheitsgebot decreed that beer stopped being beer as soon as it contained any ingredients other than water, barley and hops. Yeast, which had always been present, was added to the list when its role was finally understood, as were certain other grains including wheat – but the wording and application of the law has remained remarkably consistent over time. This commitment to gimmick-free craft over so many centuries has created a legend. Today, German beer is revered around the world; its most important place of worship is undoubtedly the B iergarten – and National Beer Day marked a sort of unofficial opening of Germany's B iergarten season . In recent days, wintery stacks of tarpaulin-covered trestle tables have been unchained, repainted, and set out end-to-end in bright sunshine. Shutters have been rolled up and teams of seasonal workers reminded of what it takes to keep hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of people supplied with drinks and pretzels as swiftly and as efficiently as possible. People across the country can now look forward to sitting outside again, warm in the sunshine with a cold beer in one hand. Locals and long-term residents will doubtless slip into the familiar rhythms without a second thought. More recent arrivals in Germany may benefit from a refresher course. Advertisement The Muntermacher : An afternoon spent drinking in the sun poses a variety of unique challenges. The ability to navigate these challenges with poise and elegance rests on making the right choice for your first drink – the Muntermacher , a German expression which loosely translates as 'the energiser'. Before switching to a standard Hausbier vom Faß , try starting with a Spritz (Aperol, Limoncello, or Japanese, according to taste). Or – if that feels too much like heresy – you could begin the day with a Kristallweißen , a summery version of Wießenbier (wheat beer). Here, the energy will come mostly from the sense of anticipation you feel while the barperson prepares your drink, first rolling the tall bottle back and forth along the counter to shift the sediment, then the gradual pour, and finally a slice of lemon. Of course, it may be wiser to keep your excitement in check initially, in which case a shandy might be a better choice – known as a Radler in the south of Germany or an Alster in the north. A glass of wheat beer stands in the sunshine in a beer garden on Lake Ammersee, Bavaria. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Karl-Josef Hildenbrand Pils or Helles? Pils is named after Pilsen in the Czech Republic, where the first pale lager was brewed in 1842. Helles , originally from Bavaria, literally means light (or pale). The ingredients in both beers are identical. The former is generally regarded as crisper and the latter as sweeter. If you're in Bavaria and want to stand out from the crowd, order a Pils – reverse your approach to achieve the same result in the north of Germany. READ ALSO: Germany's lesser-known beers that are worth a try Sich eine (gute) Grundlage schaffen: Don't forget to eat! Typical German biergarten food is designed to help your stomach absorb excessive quantities of beer. In German, this is known as achieving a good foundation ( eine gute Grundlage schaffen ). Advertisement Pretzels are the go-to option for a snack between meals. Schnitzel, Bratwurst and Sauerkraut are staples. Pizza is a relatively recent import but serves the same purpose (as does Flammkuchen in the south of Germany). READ ALSO: 10 regional dishes you have to try while visiting Bavaria Pfandmünzen and Bierdeckel : Wasps love biergartens almost as much as we love biergartens. Guard against the risk of having to perform an emergency tracheotomy by covering the tops of beer bottles with your deposit tokens ( Pfandmünzen ) and the tops of glasses with beer mats ( Bierdeckel ). The deposit on a glass or a bottle seems to get more expensive every year, so try not to lose the tokens – and remember you can only redeem them if you're actually able to produce a glass! People sitting in a beer garden at the Seehaus am Kleinhesseloher See in the English Garden in Munich. Photo: picture alliance / Andreas Gebert/dpa | Andreas Gebert Wegbier or Absacker? There are plenty of places in the world where drinking in public is frowned upon or even illegal. In Germany, drinking a beer while walking is regarded as one of life's great pleasures and an inalienable right – as demonstrated by the sheer number of ways in which it can be described. Recently, the expressions Wegbier, Gehbier, Handbier , and Faustmolle have been joined by Fußpils (a play on the word Fußpilz , or foot fungus). Advertisement If your Wegbier is also your last drink of the day, and not merely a companion on your stroll to the next Biergarten , then it's also your Absacker (or nightcap). If so, then sleep well. Tomorrow is another day – and there are plenty of remedies to get you back up on your feet. READ ALSO: 365 German beers - What I learned from drinking a different variety each day While you British friends might suggest the hair of the dog that bit you, your German-speaking friends are more likely to suggest a Konterbier - in other words, another beer to counter the effects of the last ones.
