Man Who Got Trapped Inside Burger King Bathroom Sues Over ‘Free Food for Life’ Apology Deal

A fast-food nightmare and the apology that didn’t stick

An Oregon man who got trapped inside the bathroom of a Burger King location is now suing the chain over reneging on the “free food for life” deal a manager originally offered as an apology.

The incident occurred last month when the customer, a fellow named Curtis Brooner, used the restroom at his local Burger King, but couldn’t open the door on his way out. Brooner claims that the employees passed him a fly swatter under the door for him to use to jimmy the lock open, but he cut his hand on the device in the process. To make matters worse, Brooner says that he heard the staffers laughing at him during this ordeal. After an hour or so, Brooner managed to spring free from this fast-food bathroom hellscape.

The customer alleges that a manger pledged to give him free food for life if he chose to return to that location of Burger King, an apology offer that Brooner actually took advantage of for a few weeks until a regional manager curtailed the deal. “It’s the principle,” Booner’s lawyer, Michael Fuller, tells ABC 7. “The jury is going to enjoy it. There are funny elements of the case, but there is nothing funny about being locked in a dank bathroom for an hour.” Brooner and Fuller are seeking $9,000, which is the approximate cost of one Whopper combo meal a week until the plaintiff turns 72.

A stern warning against eating roadside chicken tenders

After an 18-wheeler full of frozen food crashed on a highway in Birmingham, Alabama last week, local authorities urged passersby not to stop and eat the chicken tenders that were spilled on the side of the road. “Those cases have been on the ground for over 24 hours and are unsafe to consume,” a Facebook message from the Cherokee County EMA warned. “Anyone who is caught could be facing charges.”

And in other news...

• Artist Scott Listsfield is gearing up to debut more works in his “franchise” series, imagining chain restaurants in unlikely settings. Check out some of the original works in this series in the Instagram post above. [Instagram]
• Bill Murray spilled vodka all over Mahershala Ali (who doesn’t drink) while toasting the actor and his Green Book co-stars backstage at the Golden Globes on Sunday. [People]
• NYT contributor Kate Carraway takes a deep dive into the branding of Recess, a CBD-infused fizzy water geared toward millennials: “Is the brand in on the joke, spinning millennial nu-irony for likes and sales, or completely earnest? Definitely both.“ [NYT]
• Just in time for the coldest, darkest days of winter, Costco is selling seven-pound tubs of Nutella for $22. [Grub Street]
• And finally, here’s a look around Tokyo’s premiere reptile bar, where guests can sip cocktails while mixing and mingling with over 100 cold-blooded critters. [Soranews24]