3. E. Coli in the Box
Jack in the Box has been a West Coast fast food mainstay for decades…so it was quite surprising when, in 1993, the chain was hit with a class action lawsuit. What was the cause? Well, in 1993, there was a widespread E. coli outbreak — tainted burgers were sent all over the Pacific Northwest, and almost 600 people fell ill (with four children dying) as an end result. Recognizing bad publicity, Jack in the Box quickly settled (in one case, a 9-year-old girl who suffered permanent kidney damage got $15 million from the company).
