An Arizona woman who was scalded when she spilled a cup of McDonald's coffee on herself as she held it between her legs while driving, was awarded $2.7 million in punitive damages and $160,000 in compensatory damages when she sued the corporation. An Ohio woman sued Burger King eight days later after she, too, scalded herself. She is seeking $65,000 in damages because the coffee was "too hot" and its packaging was defective.

Both companies say they serve the coffee at about 180 degrees—as opposed to the 140 degrees that is typical for home brewing—because it makes the coffee taste better. Ted Lingle, executive director of the Specialty Coffee Association, suggests that warning labels are in order—that consumers can no longer be assumed to know that hot things burn.

†