The end of the world is near

[rrich]

A US non profit consumer product testing magazine just declared that MacDonalds has the best coffee.

(We need an emotion-icon for puke!)

[DJ’s Timber]

like this one?

[MICKYG]

The coffee goes with the repulsive cardboard hamburgers.


Mike

[ubeaut]

I've had the swill that passes for coffee in the US and have to admit that they are probably right about McD's being the best.

Six weeks in US and not 1 decent cup of coffee. They have no idea what a really good cup of coffee or tea is like. If they served up the same crud here there would be no Gloria Jeans or other coffee shops. Aussies just wouldn't stand for it.
Even Starbucks is much, much better here in Oz.

[joe greiner]

A few years ago, McD was successfully sued because a dummy spilled some hot coffee in their lap. Imagine that! Hot coffee! Ever since, they've had the coldest "hot" coffee around. My pizz is warmer.

Try some Kona coffee from or in Hawaii. (Tastes better in Hawaii for other reasons. )

Glad to see we've got a "yuk" thing. I was just thinking it might be needed someday.

Joe

[Master Splinter]

The McDonalds 'hot coffee' lawsuit was awarded in such a large amount because:

During trial, McDonald’s admitted that it had known about the risk of serious burns from its coffee for more than 10 years.

The claimant spent eight days in a hospital. In that time she underwent expensive treatments for third-degree burns including debridement (removal of dead tissue) and skin grafting. The burns left her scarred and disabled for more than two years.

Before a suit was ever filed, the claimant informed McDonald’s about her injuries and asked for compensation for her medical bills, which totaled almost $11,000. McDonald’s countered with an $800 (yup, $800) offer.

McDonald’s had several other chances to settle the case before trial: Days before the trial, the judge ordered both sides into a mediated settlement conference where the mediator, a retired judge, recommended that McDonald’s settle for $225,000. McDonald’s refused all attempts to settle the case.

The jury found that the claimant suffered $200,000 in compensatory damages for her medical costs and disability. The award was reduced to $160,000 since the jury determined that 20 percent of the fault for the injury belonged with the claimant for spilling the coffee.

Based on its finding that McDonald’s had engaged in willful, reckless, malicious or wanton conduct, the jury then awarded $2.7 million in punitive damages; essential to the size of the award was the fact that at the time McDonald’s made $1.35 million in coffee sales daily.

Since the purposes of awarding punitive damages are to punish the person or company doing the wrongful act and to discourage him and others from similar conduct in the future, the degree of punishment or deterrence resulting from a judgment is in proportion to the wealth of the guilty person.

Punitive damages are supposed to be large enough to send a message to the wrongdoer; limited punitive awards when applied to wealthy corporations, means the signal they are designed to send will not be heard.

The trial court refused to grant McDonald’s a retrial, finding that its behavior was “callous.”

[Grunt]

The US is amazing, they drink so much coffee but it's all bad.

I

[johnc]

It is very difficult getting a decent coffee in the US most of it is that brewed and stewed muck, it is very rare to find an expresso machine. I'd agree that it is quite possible that the muck McDonalds serve is good when compared with the mud you find about the place.

John

[joe greiner]

Thanks for the clarification, Splinter. I'd either forgotten, or never knew, all the details. If the injuries were that severe, their coffee was clearly hotter than normal, and obviously they knew it. Really sad thing is they could have settled so easily if they hadn't gotten so belligerent.

I guess I've never had really good coffee.

Joe

[Schtoo]

Bad coffee in Yank-land?

Guess it depends where you wind up drinking it...

I still dream of the coffee I got there one morning. Very good coffee, in a bucket, as much other goop as you wanted for $2. A standard cup here costs close to $5, and it aint that ^&%$%$ good either, hence dreaming about a $2 bucket of coffee.

[rrich]

A few years ago, McD was successfully sued because a dummy spilled some hot coffee in their lap. Imagine that! Hot coffee!

No trial lawyer has ever suffered financial hardship by under estimating the intelligence of the members of an American jury. When making coffee using the drip method, one starts with boiling water.

Try some Kona coffee from or in Hawaii. (Tastes better in Hawaii for other reasons. )
Joe

Yes, yes, yes! We usually order 'Lion' brand through the web. Not always 100% Kona but oh so good.

[scooter]

Thanks for the detail, Splinter, interesting to hear other than the "populist" view.

Broadens the mind


Cheers..................Sean

[Iain]

If you want an exceptionally bad coffee, try the Sorrento/Queenscliff ferry, and it's top dollar too