A sundae with everything, including instant culpability.
A Delaware woman has filed suit against a McDonald’s franchisee, on the grounds that her son’s sundae had blood drizzled on the top.
According to court documents, Jara bought food, including four hot fudge sundaes, at the restaurant’s drive-thru window on Dec. 30, 2004.
Her son, now 13, dug into his sundae and “recognized the taste of blood and, upon careful inspection, noted a red substance on the side of the sundae cup as well as mixed into his ice cream,” the lawsuit claims.
Jara then went into the store and spoke to a swing manager, who confirmed that it was blood, according to the lawsuit. The manager, Joshua Ferrell, said the employee who prepared the sundae had an injured, bleeding finger, and told Jara that he had advised the employee to keep a bandage on his finger, according to the lawsuit.
Here’s where it gets interesting:
Michael Meoli, owner of the McDonald’s franchise, said the claims are unfounded, and that strawberry syrup probably had clogged the sundae machine.
Ferrell, who no longer works at the restaurant, should not have said the substance was blood, Meoli said.
“What is he, a botanist? No, he’s a 21-year-old assistant manager who saw her screaming in the lobby and said ‘whatever you say lady.’“
I’m lovin’ it! There may still be some issues in court (or more likely in settlement) because of that statement, as someone in management ought to know better than to make a statement like that.
Two lessons here:
Meoli was also right to end with this…
“I hope she gets the same thing the Wendy’s lady got,” he said, referring to a woman recently sentenced to nine years in prison for planting a severed finger in a bowl of Wendy’s chili to extort money from the fast-food chain.
…if for no other reason than to remind the public that many of these claims are unfounded.
Bonus look-see: Will McDonalds address franchisee issues like this on its brand-spanking new “Corporate Responsibility Blog?”
4 Responses
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[...] A sundae with everything, including instant culpability. Ike Pigott in Accentuate the Positive, 2.0 provides another funny entry in the Spin This section. [...]
Pingback by wordymouth.com » Is That Blood? A Sundae With Everything on Top — January 26, 2006 @ 6:16 pm
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Blood Runs Red at McDonalds and Maybe With Press Releases??
Accentuate the Positive, 2.0: Sundae, Bloody Sundae
It’s funny – two PR people can read the same story and walk away with the exact opposite counsel. The McDonald’s franchisor went on the offensive, and Pigott thinks that’s the right…
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Just a couple of little things first –
1. four damned sundaes, and from the drive thru at that?!
2. the son, now 13 – how old was he when this happened and he “recognized” the taste of blood? scary
3. injured finger? bandage or no bandage i don’t want him preparing my food
I realize these above observances have nothing to do with anything. LOL
Keep us up to date on how this comes out.
Comment by Alabama Improper — January 29, 2006 @ 7:46 am
Dang – wish I had read your “About Me” section first. Now I feel all intimated and will be more careful when I comment.
Comment by Alabama Improper — January 29, 2006 @ 7:48 am