2024 McDonald’s E. coli Outbreak Still Being Actively Litigated!
In late 2024, McDonald’s faced a significant food safety crisis when an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak was traced to slivered yellow onions served on its Quarter Pounder burgers. The outbreak affected 104 individuals across 14 states, leading to 34 hospitalizations, four cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and at least one fatality (an older adult in Colorado) whose estate is represented by Ron Simon and Associates, the national E. Coli law firm who is handling the McDonald’s Onion E. coli wrongful death claim.
Timeline and Response
The outbreak was first identified in early October 2024. By October 22, McDonald’s had removed all slivered onions from its U.S. restaurants. The supplier, Taylor Farms, initiated a voluntary recall of the affected onions . Despite these actions, the outbreak continued to impact consumers, with illnesses reported through mid-November. Even with this, the true number of illnesses may likely be much higher, as some people are able to recover without medical care or are not tested for E.coli.
Legal and Regulatory Developments
In the aftermath, multiple lawsuits were filed against both McDonald’s and Taylor Farms. The law firm Ron Simon and Associates, along with Meyers & Flowers, LLC, filed the first McDonald’s E. coli Lawsuit, on behalf of Colorado resident Eric Stelly. The lawsuit was filed in Cook County, Illinois. It alleges the company failed to adhere to proper food preparation protocols, failed to prevent an adulterated product from being sold to consumers, and failed to disclose the risk of E. coli contamination leading to illnesses.
The FDA conducted inspections at Taylor Farms’ Colorado Springs facility, uncovering significant sanitation issues. Inspectors found numerous equipment with apparent biofilm and large amounts of food debris, indicating lapses in cleaning procedures . Despite these findings, the FDA did not publicly identify Taylor Farms as the outbreak’s source, citing that the outbreak was already over and no contaminated products remained in commerce.
Market Impact
The outbreak had a notable impact on McDonald’s financial performance. In the fourth quarter of 2024, U.S. same-store sales declined by 1.4%, attributed primarily to the E. coli outbreak . To mitigate the effects, McDonald’s announced a $100 million initiative to restore customer confidence, including $65 million allocated to support affected franchisees. According to E. coli lawyer Tony Coveny, Ph.D., “the economic cost to McDonald’s likely will be much greater than the cost to resolve the claims against it for personal injury.” That has yet to remain, and much depends on how quickly McDonald’s can put this litigation behind it – many cases are still being litigated or are in informal discussions.
How Long Will this Drag On?
The 2024 E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s onions underscores the critical importance of stringent food safety practices and transparent communication. While McDonald’s and Taylor Farms took swift actions to address the immediate concerns, the legal proceedings and ongoing scrutiny highlight the long-term challenges companies face in maintaining consumer trust and regulatory compliance.
Hopefully, for victims adn McDonald’s, this litigation and pending claims will be resolved this year!
