McDonald's sues food critic

reuters ^ | Christian Plumb

[freedumb2003]

>>McDonald's Expresses Outrage: Lawyer Says, "My Client Does Not Serve Food and Does Not Deserve This Humiliation"
<<

LOL

[DannyTN]

I happen to like Mcdonalds, I just finished a McChicken and a brownie sundae.

I also have my own business and I have gotten some negative complaints that were unfounded. We try to address those the best we can and then we focus on continuing to provide superior service to the rest.

However, people have the right to express their opinions. To not be able to give a negative review, denies the public information, and denies his right to free speech.

I don't know how long McDonalds has been in Italy, or how prevalent they are there, but my guess is his review won't influence anybody. Most people have already tried them and formed their opinion directly.

Most little guys don't have the power to stand up to a McDonalds class legal team. They fold immediately.

McDonalds is stupid to make a big deal out of this. They are generating their own negative press, plus the public will side against them because they will be seen as a big corporation taking on an individual and his right to express an opinion.

If McDonalds had ignored him, he would probably have lost some credibility with everyone who likes McD's and they would have been none the worse for it.

[freedumb2003]

>>One question for the both of you. Do either of you run your own businesses? If yes, would you sit still idle while someone you thought was lying about your business trashed it?<<

Sorry, really bad example. This is more like someone saying they hated a movie (like "Glitter," "Maid in Manhatten" or any movie made by Madonna) and then being sued for expessing such an opinion. If the review were to say "this was like sitting through having knitting needles placed into my eyeballs" (which is apt and accurate for my examples) the defense CANNOT be "and when did you experience knitting needles through your eyes?"

Hey, lets be fair. If critics were allowed to be sued (anywhere) for expressing their opinion, then they could NEVER express a negative opinion. Now if you want to start a movement to remove critics, that's another thing...

Looks Like McD's got legal advice from Disney on this one..

[Yeti]

So, you two have eaten rubber and cardboard?

Not in large quantities, but yes. And to compare McDonald's food to either is to flatter McDonalds.

The meat is revolting. Do they even bother calling it "beef" anymore? No, they don't, do they? There may be some beef in it, but I'll bet we don't want to know what cow parts they use. On a good day, the patties are rubbery. On a bad day, there is something hard in the pattie. And the fries do indeed taste like grease-soaked cardboard.

If you want a decent fast food burger, go to Wendy's or Hardee's. Hardee's fries suck, too, but the burgers are good. Wendy's has been consitently good for years.

Better yet, avoid fast food.

Sorry if your stock in Micky-D's of Italy is losing, but they just suck. They only edible food they have is a few non-biscuit breakfast items and the McFlurry.

The burgers are no better than those microwave sandwiches you get in a convenience store(Sludgefield in SC), often worse.

Revolting. Fnck a reconstituted onion, fnck "textured vegetable protein," fnck that rank-ass canola oil they cook their fries in, and fnck Micky D. It's all disgusting slop that you only eat if you absolutely don't care about how it tastes.

Why would you take up for a multi-gazillion dollar corporation trying to sue someone for telling the truth about how gross thier food is? Would you really even trust a food critic who praised McDonald's? I would enjoin a class action lawsuit against one for consumer fraud, and force him to disclose exactly how much McD's paid him to lie to the public so blatantly.

[isthisnickcool]

It seems to me when there is a person that is employed by numerous media outlets in Italy says it's a fact something tastes like something else that's a bit different than a movie critic giving their opinion about an artistic product. And ONE product at that. One movie is one movie. Saying every serving of food made by one enterprise is the same all the time is a bit different. Easy to say but hard to back up. It might seem to be an opinion but it's based on what? One meal? Not one movie.

We don't agree. And that to me says you suck in my opinion and always will. Just kidding, of course. Don't sue me...

[paulklenk]

The only thing dumber than publishing a restaurant review of McDonald's is McDonald's getting upset over it.

[DannyTN]

Well I doubt his audience has tasted rubber or cardboard either. Perhaps in France where they will eat anything.

Who knows, McDonalds is cheap. They might go try it just to see if it's as bad as he says.

I'm sure the four and five star restaurants are cheering this guys bashing of fast food and McDonalds in particular. However, I'm also sure that the Italians are capable of seeing through this guy and realizing McD's is a lot easier on their wallet and a lot more convenient.

[freedumb2003]

>>different. Easy to say but hard to back up. It might seem to be an opinion but it's based on what? One meal?<<

Why not? One J Lo flick was one too many for me. And MacDs makes a BIG deal out of the fact that its burgers taste the same EVERYWHERE (QC donchaknow). One meal is sufficient. If this was the US it would be abuse of process. And yes, if you say I suck based on one post, I have grounds (by YOUR logic) to sue you.

[OldPossum]

A couple comments. 1) without children prompting their parents to go there, I doubt McDonald's could survive in an adult market; and 2) I try to avoid the place. The last time I had to go to one, I was hungry and on the Ohio Turnpike; shortly after partaking of their french fries I got physically ill.

With reference to comment 1, strange things do happen. Some years ago an office associate went to Paris on business. When she came back I inquired as to how she liked the French food. She replied that she stuck to McDonald's food while there. Though I despise the French, she certainly missed out on some good food.

[Sloth]

Saying every serving of food made by one enterprise is the same all the time is a bit different.

It's one of McDonald's *hallmarks*. Ultra-standardization of products has been part of their business model ever since Ray Kroc; it's not some supposition.

[isthisnickcool]

And yes, if you say I suck based on one post, I have grounds (by YOUR logic) to sue you.

My logic would not say you have grounds to sue me*. Not unless I say such a thing while using a commercial enterprise from which to "slander" you. Since that's the only way I'd have an outlet that would carry my words to the point you might be "damaged". To me, this is comparable to someone like Martha Stewart saying that "Sears sells nothing but crummy bath towels". And then Sears gets "snippy".

*Anyone can sue anyone else for anything. But that's another discussion. I support a "loser pays" system by the way.

[szweig]

McD burgers haven't been grilled for a while now. They cook 'em in sort of 'light oven' or something. Anyone out there have more info on this? The process seems to drain the sandwich of any remaining taste.

[rattrap]

an opinion by definition really can't be false.

if he had stated that they we're cardboard or rubber that would be different.

[rattrap]

oops 'were'

%&$#* errant apostrophe

[kitkat]

***Publishing false statements about a person or company is defamation under the law.***

If this were true where it concerns critics, there wouldn't be ANY critics of anything. A critic's opinion is just that, his opinion. If his opinion is that McD's burgers taste like rubber, etc., then he's entitled to say so.

Otherwise, all critics would have to say that everything they review is just fine, and there would be no point in having critics.

[Scenic Sounds]

but the critic says he has no intention of going back on saying its burgers taste of rubber and its fries of cardboard.

Nobody should be allowed to say something like that! I don't care if he's the world's very top food critic.

McDonald's of Italy said on Friday the critic's comments were "clearly defamatory and offensive to McDonald's and to the more than 600,000 Italians who each day freely choose to eat in a McDonald's restaurant".

Damned right.

[4mycountry]

>>>I love McDonalds food.

That's a relief. I thought I was the only one here who thought it was OK.

Their burgers could get better, I'll admit, but McDonald's fries at about noon--that's pretty good.

Oh well. Maybe I need a life. ^^;;;

[ladyinred]

"To me this looks like the usual, very American effort to destroy criticism and destroy people," Raspelli said. "I didn't

Oh my!

[4mycountry]

Heh heh.

Yeah, if he had stated that we are cardboard or rubber that would be different.

[Bonaparte]

Your friend who went to Paris McD's should have tried the Paris Burger King. Outstanding food.