Read the Fine Print On Your Whataburger

A sign on the front door of a combined gas station and Whataburger restaurant in Liberty City, Texas:

By entering these premises you hereby agree to resolve all disputes or claims of any kind whatsoever, which arise from the products, services or premises, by way of binding arbitration, not litigation. No suit or action may be filed in any state or federal court. Any arbitration shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, and administered by the American Mediation Association."

Although I generally avoid fast food restaurants that require binding arbitration, this one was cleaner than an operating room and had a '50s diner interior filled with Beatles memorabilia and life-size statues of the Blues Brothers. The food was delicious and passed without incident.

Texas · Food · 2007/06/13 · 8 COMMENTS · Link

Comments

"...The food was delicious and passed without incident..."

And by that you mean...

#1 · Don McArthur · 2007/06/13

Sorry, Rogers, but by blogging about your experience at Whataburger, you violated their Confidentiality Agreement which is clearly stated on the french fry bag.

#2 · Bourne · 2007/06/14

Now, while I'm opposed to frivolous lawsuits, I'm amazed that it could be legal to waive your rights by walking into a business. We complain that kids don't play outside enough, but unfortunately they're not of age to legally agree to all the contracts required once they leave the front yard (let alone grant legal permission for the neighbor kids to enter your own yard). Leave them in front of the TV, eating delivered pizza -- so long as the delivery kid fills out the proper paperwork at the end of the driveway.

#3 · Azrael Brown · 2007/06/14

And by that you mean...

Illustration by Kurt Vonnegut

#4 · Rogers Cadenhead · 2007/06/14

One has to wonder what led them to such a declaration in the first place. Do you really want to eat at a place that demands you agree you can't sue them for ingesting their product?

Secondly, I don't favour places that need to try as hard as this place seems to. Just look at the pics in the links. If a burger joint really has to put that much effort into distracting their clientele's attention from the food with outsized decor, you might want to reconsider being said patron.

Regards,

etc.

#5 · ThePerfectStorm · 2007/06/14

Whataburger certainly used to be the place everyone went after the bars closed (and probably still is), so it may be that their clientele is more litigious, or at least confused and ill-prepared to make legal decisions.

#6 · Uncle Mikey · 2007/06/18

This alternative dispute resolution garbage is just that. The entire agenda was invented by the likes of Harvard University, funded by the likes of Exxon and TRW, to cabin civil rights and environmental rights and consumer rights won during the 1960s and 1970s. See "A Rush To Unfairness -- The Downside to Alternative Dispute Resolution," American Bar Association Judges' Journal (Summary 1989), by Judge James Guill and Edward A. Slavin, Jr.

With kindest regards, I am

Sincerely yours,

Ed Slavin

Box 3084

St. Augustine, FL 32085-3084

www.cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com

904-471-7023

904-471-9918 (fax)

#7 · Ed Slavin · 2007/06/18

"Passed w/o incident"

Ah, Rogers, wotta gas!

Luff the Kurt Art.

Wot an asshole!

Guess the really big question here is was a Whataburger more delicious than a Big Kahuna Burger?

Cos the Big Kahuna is one tasty burger, ya know.

Also ...wot do they call a WhataBurger in France?

Be Well.

#8 · dethspud · 2007/06/29