History Repeats Itself: McDonald's Is Being Sued Over Hot Coffee

For some of us, a steaming cup of joe makes the difference between a good day and a bad one, but when it comes to McDonald's coffee, it could mean a costly lawsuit. The restaurant has found itself in hot water again after an elderly woman alleged that she was served a scalding cup of coffee that led to her sustaining "severe" burns, per The San Francisco Standard. Mable Childress purchased some java from a San Francisco McDonald's location and later claimed that the lid wasn't safely secured in order to prevent spillage. She then filed a lawsuit against the employees, claiming that the restaurant failed to offer "duty of care" in preparing the coffee (via Today).

Childress, who is in her 80s, alleged that she suffered burns and scars after the coffee spilled on her groin, legs, and abdomen when she tried to take a sip out of the cup. Not only did the incident reportedly cause her physical pain, but it allegedly caused emotional distress, as well. According to the lawsuit — as reported on by Business Insider — Childress continues to experience pain.

Mable Childress tried to talk to the restaurant staff about the incident, according to the court filing, but none of them listened to her and they allegedly denied help. "She's an elderly lady, and she was waiting for over an hour to speak to a manager, and a manager never spoke to her. They didn't give her the time of day ... Nobody helped her whatsoever. She had to get to the hospital herself," her lawyer — Dylan Hackett — told SFGate. Childress now seeks millions in damages.

The restaurant's owner, Peter Ou, maintains that his team did speak to Childress and tried to offer assistance. "My restaurants have strict food safety protocols in place, including training crew to ensure lids on hot beverages are secure," McDonald's shared on his behalf in a statement to Mashed. "We take every customer complaint seriously," Ou also mentioned.

This isn't the first time that McDonald's has been burned by its hot offerings. Recently, the company paid $800,000 in damages after a four-year-old girl suffered second-degree burns on her leg due to an extraordinarily hot chicken nugget. In 1992, a woman was awarded a hefty sum in damages after she suffered burns when she accidentally spilled McDonald's coffee on herself. Over the years, many people have sued the company over its excessively hot beverages. Currently, McDonald's coffee is served at a temperature of around 185 degrees Fahrenheit.