Burger King’s beloved burger is at the center of a legal battle that’s heating up in federal court. On May 5, U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman in Florida ruled that Burger King must face a 2022 lawsuit claiming it misled hungry customers with ads that exaggerated the size of its Whopper, and possibly other menu favorites. In the lawsuit, 19 plaintiffs from 13 different states say the chain advertises its burgers as large burgers compared to the burgers of its competitors by showing them containing oversized meat patties that contain more than double the meat of the actual burger. Plaintiffs also allege that the popular fast food chain is purposely creating augmented advertisements to mislead consumers. The lawsuit specifically highlights Burger King’s marketing campaigns starting in 2017, accusing the company of playing up the increased size of the burgers in ads, but when they unwrapped their orders, there was no change in the size of the meat. The plaintiffs are not only seeking refunds, they also want the burger giant to stop their current marketing strategy and overstating menu items to correct their deceptive behavior. Burger King denies the accusations, saying, "The flame-grilled beef patties portrayed in our advertising are the same patties used in the millions of burgers we serve to guests across the U.S.” However, Judge Altman wasn’t convinced of the chain’s argument, ultimately ruling that the case will proceed.
