Not So Happy Meals

A Brazilian court has ordered McDonald's to pay a former franchise manager in Sao Paulo $17,500 because he claims he became obese from being forced to sample food constantly due to the chain's infernal insistence on quality standards. (Worse, the company provided free lunches to employees, and we assume he felt it would be kinda rude to turn that down…)

Of course, the Brazilian version of McDonald's also offers nice healthy salads and reasonably sized burgers and French fry portions, just like they do in the U.S. But according to Judge Joao Ghisleni, it really is too much to expect a foodservice manager to make wise meal choices.

As for the guy's quality control paranoia, just how many samples do you really need to eat to ensure quality at a McDonald's? The chain is notorious for getting even teenagers to produce uniform product consistently and in mass quantities with its standardized, pre-flavored products and highly automated, idiot-proof production equipment. Are Brazilian fast food workers really that hapless?

Prediction: in a couple years, this guy will be suing Judge Ghisleni for awarding him $17,500 to spend on fatty foods…