 The legal issues of Burger King include several legal disputes and lawsuits , as both plaintiff and defendant , of the international fast food restaurant chain Burger King ( BK ) , in the years since its founding in 1954 . Situations involving these many legal topics have affected almost every aspect of the company 's operations . Depending on the ownership and executive staff at the time of these incidents , the company 's responses to these challenges have ranged from a conciliatory dialog with its critics and litigants to a more aggressive opposition with questionable tactics and negative consequences . The company 's response to these various issues has drawn praise , scorn , and accusations of political appeasement from different parties over the years . 
