McDonald’s Lawsuit Filed Over October 2024 Quarter Pounder E. Coli Outbreak

McDonald’s has been hit with a proposed class action lawsuit that claims the fast-food giant marketed and sold Quarter Pounders without warning consumers that the burgers may be contaminated with E. coli.

The 25-page lawsuit against McDonald’s comes on the heels of an investigation launched in October 2024 over reports of an E. coli outbreak linked to the burgers. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) report on the ongoing investigation, the source of the contamination is still unclear, but an onion supplier for affected McDonald’s locations has since initiated a voluntary product recall.

As of October 25, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 75 cases of illness, 22 hospitalizations and one death as a result of the McDonald’s E. coli outbreak, adding that it “believes the risk to the public is very low.”

The McDonald’s class action suit was filed by two consumers who claim to have suffered symptoms associated with E. coli infection after eating a Quarter Pounder, which is now back on the menu, in October of this year. The plaintiffs contend that the fast food giant has misled consumers into believing the burgers are safe to eat and do not contain harmful bacteria given that there is no warning on product packaging about the risk of E. coli contamination.

The FDA says that symptoms of E. coli infection—extreme stomach cramps, fever, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting—can begin anytime from a few days after consuming contaminated food to up to nine days later. The case shares that E. coli infection can lead to pneumonia, sepsis, urinary tract infections and, in some cases, life-threatening conditions such as a type of kidney failure known as hemolytic uremic syndrome.

E. coli infection is particularly dangerous for vulnerable populations like pregnant women, newborns, elderly adults and the immunocompromised, the complaint adds.

Quarter Pounders are “worthless and dangerous,” McDonald’s class action claims

The filing charges that the undisclosed risk of E. coli contamination means the burgers “were, and still are, unsafe to consume,” despite the fast food chain’s silence on the subject.

Consumers such as the plaintiffs expect the food products they buy to be safe to eat and free from bacterial contamination, the fraud lawsuit argues. They would not have purchased the “worthless and dangerous” McDonald’s burgers had they been warned about the risk of E. coli infection, the case alleges.

Who’s covered by the McDonald’s lawsuit?

The McDonald’s E. coli lawsuit looks to cover anyone in the United States who purchased McDonald’s Quarter Pounders contaminated with E. coli.

I bought a Quarter Pounder recently. How do I sign up for the McDonald’s lawsuit?

You don’t need to do anything right now to join, sign up for or add your name to the class action lawsuit. Usually, you’ll need to take action only in the event of a class action settlement, at which point the people covered by the deal—known as class members—may be notified directly with details about the case, an explanation of their rights and instructions on how to file a settlement claim form.

It can take months or even years for a class action suit to be resolved, so be patient and check ClassAction.org often for updates on the top class actions.

Check out ClassAction.org’s lawsuit list for the latest open class action lawsuits.