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What?s Right with Dunkin Donut's Demonstrates what?s wrong with the Ronald McDonald Business Plan

By Steve Lombardi

Doug Landau of Fairfax, Virginia writes on the Injuryboard 'Hot Coffee' spills the beans on frivolous lawsuit charges. August 7, 2009. This, like participation trophies, is one of my favorite subjects.

Coffee Warning - It's Hot! Tort Deformers Mantra, August 17, 2007

Doug's post is about the documentary, 'Hot Coffee' that will preview at the Sundance Film Festival next year. I can't wait. The reaction across this country to the McDonald's hot coffee verdict was almost as dumb as American voters electing Bush the first time. If ever there is an argument to be made that the typical American can be made to believe anything by following a simple formula, the Madison Avenue McDonald's outrageous verdict campaign proved it.

I grew up in Rhode Island during the 1960's and 70's. In New England most people picked up a coffee at Dunkin Donuts and to my knowledge DD hasn't ever been sued for a similar business practice. And there is a good reason for them not getting sued for a situation like the Stella Liebeck hot coffee debacle. In R.I. you order your coffee first with a question 'Do you ant that regg-u-la?' and you answer with a yes or no. If "Regg-U-la' the store clerks adds cream and sugar, then puts on a lid and hands it to you.

(We Rhode Islanders talk funny. We say CHOW-dah, Geddout, and wicked good.)

As Rhode Islander and New Englander's we may tawk pretty odd but we know a stupid idea when we see one. And the McDonald's way of selling coffee is pure idiocy.

The question isn't why Dunkin Donuts does it that way; but why doesn't McDonalds add the cream and sugar before handing you a Styrofoam cup with a loose lid full of 190 degree liquid?

Why doesn't McDonald's mix the cream and sugar before handing it out the window? Why are they having people mix cream and sugar into a cup of 190 degree scalding hot coffee while seated in their cars, trucks, vans, SUV's and any other vehicle pulling up to the drive-up window? I can tell you why, it's because they time every step and figure out how to squeeze another dime out of the sale. Save a penny on every transaction and all those transactions add up to a better bottom line. For McDonald's it isn't about the customer as much as it's about profit. I think McDonalds should earn a health profit, but at what cost?

If you have time to ask, 'Can I Supersize that order?' you have time to add the coffee condiments.

Now some of you will argue with me saying it's just the way of a free-enterprise system of making money. And to you I say okay, bring a knife with you and next time you buy a Big Mack you can add the mustard, catsup and pickle while seated in your brand new Escalade.

'Hey junior here's the knife, watch out don't stick your sister in the eye. Who's got the mustard container? Hey did you cut the leather seat?'

If as a McDonald's customer you're not required to add condiments to your cold burger why sugar and cream to your scalding hot coffee?

The business model makes as little sense to me as does the judge reducing the verdict and the public getting all up and arms over the case. The Liebeck verdict was as right for it's customers as was the slogan,

Twoallbeefpattiesspecialsaucelettucecheesepicklesonionsonasesameseedbun

What the public allowed was the right question to be redefined into the wrong question. The question is, "Why are their so many injuries?" Not, "Why are there so many lawsuits?"

Yes, they fooled you again into being the consumer fool.

Instead of spending money on a toy they could spend money on wages to ask a simple question and then to add the cream and sugar. But customer safety is obviously not something adding to the bottom line.

Dunkin Donuts business model is consumer oriented and Ronald is oriented towards CEO's and shareholders.

Follow Hot Coffee on Facebook

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwfrBbNo5Jg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvhDw5bQbd8

Here is the McDonald's rap that has over 9,534,272 views on YouTube and demonstrates the typical American consumer mentality.

" Going drive-thru style, man it's fast express
You can call it trans fat, I call it happiness"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5H7IYPw40Q

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Steve Lombardi

Full post as published by Des Moines Personal Injury Lawyer on August 17, 2009 (boomark / email).