9 Facts About How Greed Built McDonald's Empire

7. Offering Only $800 to a Burned Customer

In 1992, 79-year-old Stella Liebeck bought a hot coffee from a McDonald's drive-thru, but when trying to drink it, she accidentally spilled the coffee on her lap, which resulted in third-degree burns on over 6% of her body. Her long and publicized lawsuit against the company revealed more secrets about coffee at McDonald's and that over 700 burn claims caused by coffee had been filed between 1982 and 1992. In the end, despite Liebeck's request of $20,000 for medical bills and lost income, McDonald's refused to put up more than $800.