The McDonald's Crisis

In 1984, James Huberty killed 23 people at a McDonald's in San Isidro, California. The incident devastated the community and stunned the McDonald's organization. Joan Croc quickly donated $100,000. to a civic fund that handled the funerals, hospitalization, and ongoing health care of the mostly lower middle-class victims. After this bizarre and completely ineluctable episode, McDonald's was held blameless in both the court of public opinion and the civil courts when several victims attempted to sue.