TITLE DEED
BURGER KING
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| Type | Public (NYSE: BKC |
|---|---|
| Founded | December 4, 1954 in Miami, Florida, USA |
| Founder(s) | James McLamore and David Edgerton |
| Headquarters | 5505 Blue Lagoon Drive, Miami-Dade Co, Florida (near Miami) |
| Key people | Brian Thomas Swette (Chairman) John Chidsey (CEO) Ben K. Wells (CFO) |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Products | Fast Food (hamburgers • chicken • french fries • soft drinks • milkshakes • salads • desserts • breakfast) |
| Revenue | $2.234 billion USD (2007) ▲ 9.4% over 2006 [1] |
| Operating income | $290.00 million USD (2007) ▲ 70% over 2006[1] |
| Net income | $148 million USD (2007) ▲ 548.1% over 2006[1] |
| Employees | 41,000 (2008)[2] |
| Parent | Burger King Holdings Inc. |
| Website | burgerking.com |
Burger King has been involved in several legal disputes and cases, as both plaintiff and defendant, in the years since its founding in 1954. Situations involving these many legal topics have affected almost every aspect of the company's operations. Depending on the ownership and executive staff at the time of these incidents, the company's responses to these challenges have ranged from a conciliatory dialog with its critics and litigants to a more aggressive opposition with questionable tactics and negative consequences.[40][41][42][43] The company's response to these various issues has drawn praise,[44] scorn,[45] and accusations of political appeasement from different parties over the years.[46]
Further controversies have occurred during the company's expansion in the Middle East. The opening of a Burger King location in the Israeli-occupied territories lead to a breach of contract dispute between Burger King and its Israeli franchise; the dispute eventually erupted into a geopolitical conflagration involving Muslim and Jewish groups on multiple continents over the application of and adherence to international law.[50][51][52] The case eventually elicited reactions from the members of the 22-nation Arab League; the Islamic countries within the League made a joint threat to the company of legal sanctions including the revocation of Burger King's business licenses within the member states' territories.[51][52][53] A related issue involving members of the Islamic faith over the interpretation of the Muslim version of canon law, Shariah, regarding the promotional artwork on a dessert package in the United Kingdom raised issues of cultural sensitivity,[54] and, with the former example, posed a larger question about the lengths that companies must go to insure the smooth operation of their businesses in the communities they serve.[55]
A trademark dispute involving the owners of the identically named Burger King in Mattoon, Illinois led to a federal lawsuit; the case's outcome helped define the scope of the Lanham act and trademark law in the United States.[56] An existing trademark held by a shop of the same name in South Australia forced the company to change its name in Australia,[57] while another state trademark in Texas forced the company to abandon its signature product, the Whopper, in several counties around San Antonio.[58] Legal decisions from other suits have set contractual law precedents in regards to long-arm statutes, the limitations of franchise agreements, and ethical business practices;[59][60] many of these decisions have helped define general business dealings that continue to shape the entire marketplace.
TITLE DEED
McDonald's
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| Type | Public (NYSE: MCD |
|---|---|
| Founded | May 15, 1940 in San Bernardino, California; McDonald's Corporation, 1955 in Des Plaines, Illinois |
| Founder(s) | Dick and Mac McDonald McDonald's restaurant concept; Ray Kroc, McDonald's Corporation founder. |
| Headquarters | Oak Brook, Illinois, USA |
| Number of locations | 31,000+ worldwide[1] |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Key people | James A. Skinner (Chairman) & (CEO) |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Products | Fast Food (hamburgers • chicken • french fries • soft drinks • coffee • milkshakes • salads • desserts • breakfast) |
| Revenue | ▲ US$ 22.79 billion (2007)[2] |
| Operating income | ▼ US$ 3.879 billion (2007)[2] |
| Net income | ▼ US$ 2.359 billion (2007)[2] |
| Total assets | ▲ US$ 29.391 billion (2007) |
| Total equity | ▼ US$ 15.279 billion (2007) |
| Employees | 400,000 (2008)[2] |
| Website | McDonalds.com |
McDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD
McDonald's has been involved in a number of lawsuits and other legal cases, most of which involved trademark disputes. The company has threatened many food businesses with legal action unless they drop the Mc or Mac from their trading name. In one noteworthy case, McDonald's sued a Scottish café owner called McDonald, even though the business in question dated back over a century (Sheriff Court Glasgow and Strathkelvin, November 21, 1952).
disaster, since the judge also found that more than half of what was on the pamphlet was truthful, or were simply the opinions of the activists and therefore non-prosecutable.
McDonald's has defended itself in several cases involving workers' rights. In 2001 the company was fined £12,400 by British magistrates for illegally employing and over-working child labor in one of its London restaurants. This is thought to be one of the largest fines imposed on a company for breaking laws relating to child working conditions (R v [2002] EWCA Crim 1094). In April 2007 in Perth, Western Australia, McDonald's pleaded guilty to five charges relating to the employment of children under 15 in one of its outlets and was fined AU$8,000.[36]
Possibly the most infamous legal case involving McDonald's was the 1994 decision in The McDonald's Coffee Case.
In a McDonald's American Idol figurine promotion, the figurine that represents "New Wave Nigel" wears something that closely resembles Devo’s Energy Dome, which was featured on the band's album cover, Freedom of Choice. In addition to the figurine's image, it also plays a tune that appears to be an altered version of Devo's song "Doctor Detroit." Devo copyrighted and trademarked the Energy Dome and is taking legal action against McDonald's.
Reggae / Soul / House
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