Overweight Man Sues White Castle Over Seats (says the small seats violate his civil rights)

[Cali_Democrat]

White Castle sued by overweight man over seats, say reports
September 13, 2011 10:13 AM
By Camille Mann

(CBS) - Martin Kessman, a 290-pound New York man who is a devoted customer at his local White Castle, claims the fast-food chain broke promises to make the booths bigger and is taking legal action, according to a report.

Kessman filed a lawsuit last week claiming the tiny booths violate the civil rights of people who are overweight, reports local station WNYW.

The 64-year-old stockbroker decided to take legal action after he wrote a complaint to corporate headquarters in 2009 saying he hurt himself trying to fit into the booths at White Castle's Nanuet, N.Y. location, reports the New York Post.

Keesman told the Post that he has no problem fitting into seats at other fast food locations as well as airplane seats.

After his complaints, White Castle reportedly responded with three letters that each had a coupon for three free hamburgers. According to the Post, the restaurant also pledged to provide roomier seats, but two years have passed and White Castle allegedly hasn't made the changes.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20105346-504083.html

[MineralMan]

1. Now, there's an issue to get behind, for sure.

MAKE WHITE CASTLE ACCESSIBLE!

I'm going to get a sign made and march in front of my local one all day. Yeah...that's the ticket...

Sliders - Don't eat more than six!

[Bucky]

12. Actually if you could get this guy to march around all day holding a sign, it might do him some good

I, of course, mean that compassionately.

[MineralMan]

14. It's not really that he's fat. It's just a stupid thing to sue over.

I saw the photo. He's sitting in the booth. If he wasn't slouching, his belly wouldn't be touching the table. In any case, White Castle isn't designed for comfort. They want you to eat your sliders and get the heck out of there. Me? I buy my food to go and eat it in my car or outside. Can't stand the smell inside of White Castles anyhow, and only go there because of their onion chips. The burgers blow.

[Poll_Blind]

2. Everyone, please take a second to view this tragic picture of Mr. Kessmen:

That really is a picture of him, BTW. The English language is not yet old enough to have acquired a word for such a tragedy.

PB

[CBGLuthier]

4. Like the old saying goes who knew they could stack shit that high?

stupid bastard. Last thing he needs is another fucking hamburger.

[crim son]

9. I guess what makes the lawsuit, and the man, distasteful

is the location of the seating he's complaining about. Not the hospital waiting-room, not at the airport, not at the baseball stadium, but at a freaking fast food restaurant.

[Quantess]

15. ....burrrrpp! I heard it!

Watch out, the farts are deadly.

[pintobean]

17. Relatively speaking, he's not fat.

Can we stop with this shit?

[Occulus]

19. If he sat up straight he wouldn't have any reason to complain.

This guy is trying to pull a fast one. I bet once a judge sees this picture his case will get thrown out.

If he were sitting up straight his stomach wouldn't even be touching that table.

[Poll_Blind]

22. Maybe he's got some sorf of posture disorder from hunching over while eating?

Another lawsuit?

PB

[Liberal_in_LA]

24. LOL!

[tawadi]

28. Disgusting. eom

[Missy Vixen]

32. How are the responses on this thread any different than the howling over

the comments during the GOP debate last night?

Your compassion for your fellow man is overwhelming.

:eyes:

[Mendocino]

36. Add a walrus

mustache and he could be right-wing puke Wilford Brimley.

[CBGLuthier]

3. Why doesn't he sue about the small size of their burgers?

Makes about as much sense.

The booths are not too small for overweight people. They are too small for whales. He must be a very small man if 290 makes him too fat to fit in something.

[Zoeisright]

5. Wow, love the "compassion" in these replies.

Just like Free Republic!!

Shame on you people.

[Scout]

6. yup, fat bashing is always in fashion on DU! n/t

[Rebubula]

26. Not fat bashing....

...but idiot bashing.

[HappyMe]

8. Um...there are a lot of other people

that deserve compassion before this guy and his frivolous lawsuit.

[petronius]

11. Is compassion a finite quantity?

:shrug:

[Quantess]

16. When it comes to lawsuits, maybe.

That's just my opinion, however.

[petronius]

34. Fair enough. My interpretation of the word "compassion" above was that it referred less

to the validity of the lawsuit (FTR, I don't see a lot of merit in it myself) and more to do with the personal reflections on the man himself that invariably appear in these threads, and how they might be experienced by DUers with similar physical characteristics. It's perfectly possible to critique the legitimacy of the suit without making reference to whales, tubs of lard, giant asses, airline seats, shovels, troughs, earthquakes, or any of the other BS that tends to arise...

[Poll_Blind]

10. What compassion should I be feeling? I posted the picture he posed for, showing his plight.

It fails to move me.

How does it move you?

PB

[Lucian]

21. Why should we be compassionate to people who can control...

how heavy they are?

If it's something they can't control, that's another issue. But if overweight people are overweight because they can't put the burger down, I have no compassion for them.

[frylock]

27. the guy is complaining that he can't sit and shovel food at the resteraunt..

this isn't some life or death matter ffs.

[Odin2005]

7. I'm a big guy and hate the tiny seats some places have, so I empathize with this guy.

And I'm not even that big, I don't have to use to "fat person chairs" in waiting rooms, and yet still can't fit into some of those restaurant seats.

[MineralMan]

13. Yes, they're small and uncomfortable. I'm not at all overweight,

but I'm tall, and I have trouble with being uncomfortable in some fast food restaurants. That's why I order my food to go and eat it in my car, where the seat is comfy, I have music or news, and I don't have to watch the parade. From the photo of this guy, he's not really that pressured by the seating. It appears to me that he's slouching on the seat, besides, to make his point.

White Castle is not really a place to linger over your sliders, anyhow. I'd eat in my car.

[undeterred]

18. Why would anyone want to eat that shit?

[Lucian]

20. Um, lose weight and quit eating so many damn burgers?

Sorry buddy. I just don't feel sorry for you.

[Javaman]

23. There was a feeding frenzy over this story yesterday...

sorry, couldn't resist.

[Ilsa]

25. So, maybe this would be considered a frivolous lawsuit? nt

[Obamanaut]

29. Many responses at this earlier thread ->

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=439&topic_id=1923771

[NickB79]

30. Maybe they can just install a trough in the store with his name engraved on it. NT

[Drew Richards]

31. sorry I had to laugh, but then he would have a great defamation case...bad ideal.

[guitar man]

33. "How about some more White Castles Mr Taggert?"

"I'd say you've had enough!!"

:hide:

[ohiosmith]

35. :

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: