Read Case 6.2: Hot Coffee at McDonald’s, located here or on page 231 in your textbook. Then, watch the video titled “Woman Burned by McDonald’s Hot Coffee, Then the News Media | Retro Report | The New York Times” (12 min 17 s), located here.
After reviewing the video and case study, choose two (2) of the five (5) discussion questions located at the end of the case. Formulate your response and post to the Week 5 discussion. Respond to a peer who answered at least one (1) different question than you did.
3. McDonald’s claims that most consumers would prefer to have their coffee too hot rather than not hot enough. After all, if it’s too hot, they can always wait a minute before drinking it. Suppose this is true. How does it affect McDonald’s responsibilities? Given that McDonald’s serves millions of cups of coffee every week, how important are a few hundred complaints about its coffee being too hot?
4. Was Liebeck only 20 percent responsible for her injuries? Do you agree with the amount of compensatory and punitive damages that the jury awarded her? If not, what would have been a fairer monetary award?