ytownfootball wrote:
I remember the case certainly, the thing I DON'T remember are the resulting restrictions...
For example, lids, precautionary statements I do remember. There was, however a specific serving temperature that was set as a result of this case, I don't recall what that was. I'm nearly certain the temperature was at or under that mark in this recent case, due to the owners familiarity of the previous one.
There was a generally accepted industry standard for serving hot drinks (of which coffee would be one) that was roughly 160 degrees Fahrenheit. McDonald's had brewed theirs at a temperature of between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit and ordered a holding temperate of between 180 and 190 degrees (20-30 degrees hotter than standard).
McDonald's' defense was predicated largely around "We've received thousands of complaints of excessively hot coffee, including severe burns as a result, and none has ever resulted in a large judgment against us. Legal precedent therefore dictates that nothing should change." The plaintiff's claim was "Yeah, you've received thousands of complaints spanning over 20 years and you refuse to lower the temperature to the industry standard even after severe injuries result. That's a pretty clear pattern of negligence."
