(a) In about four sentences, summarize theEthical Dilemma case presented at the end of Chapter 6.(b) How do quality and ethics enter into thesecases? (c) Who do you think was at fault? Justifyyour position with logical argument; (d) What wasthe final outcome of the case (financially speaking)?
ETHICAL DILEMMA
A lawsuit a few years ago made headlines worldwide when aMcDonald's drive-thru customer spilled a cup of scalding hot coffeeon herself. Claiming the coffee was too hot to be safely consumedin a car, the badly burned 80- year old woman won $2.9 million incourt. (The judge later reduced the award to $640,000.) McDonald'sclaimed the product was served to the correct specifications andwas of proper quality. Further, the cup read "Caution- Contents MayBe Hot." McDonald's coffee, at 180 degrees, is substantially hotter(by corporate rule) than typical restaurant coffee, despitehundreds of coffee scalding complaints in the past ten years.Similar court cases, incidentally, resulted in smaller verdicts,but again in favor of the plaintiffs. For example, Motor City BagelShop was sued for a spilled cup of coffee by a drive-thru patron,and Starbucks by a customer who spilled coffee on her ownankle.
Are McDonald's, Motor City, and Starbucks at fault in situationssuch as these? How do quality and ethics enter into thesecases?
