This week, news broke that popular YouTuber Jimmy ‘MrBeast’ Donaldson has initiated legal action against his own brand of burgers. According to the legal documents, the burgers were provided to customers in a condition described as “raw,” “disgusting,” and “inedible,” among other complaints.
In response to the lawsuit, the company responsible for MrBeast Burger, Virtual Dining Concepts (VDC), has accused the internet personality of employing “bullying tactics” and pursuing a “baseless” case.
The statement characterizes the lawsuit’s allegations as “untrue, damaging remarks” and purports that the issue is MrBeast’s desire for a more substantial share of the profits. VDC claims he instructed his legal team to act aggressively when this was denied.
“Mr. Donaldson recently endeavored to renegotiate a deal to advance his financial gain,” VDC’s statement reads. “When VDC declined to yield to his coercive methods to obtain more ownership in the company, he irresponsibly lodged this unwarranted and baseless legal action, aiming to sabotage the MrBeast Burger brand and evade his current contract commitments without justification.”
The lawsuit filed by MrBeast includes the rather remarkable assertion that Donaldson hasn’t collected “a single cent” from this immensely successful enterprise, despite its presence in over 1,000 U.S. restaurants. But the central focus of the lawsuit is the alleged harm done to MrBeast’s reputation through what he deems a substandard product.
VDC has countered with a bold assertion, claiming that the MrBeast Burger brand has significantly boosted MrBeast’s fame: “Mr. Donaldson’s prominence has soared considerably throughout the tenure of the MrBeast Burger brand, partly due to the brand itself.”
This assertion appears to be an overreach. MrBeast has been creating content since 2012, and he gained widespread recognition in 2017. His consistent success in attracting vast audiences is well-documented, and this very popularity made the MrBeast Burger venture feasible in the first place.
In the previous month, MrBeast declared his decision to “move on from MrBeast Burger” and that affiliated restaurants would be halting operations.
VDC’s statement concluded, “We had anticipated Mr. Donaldson would conduct himself with integrity. Instead, by prioritizing greed over honesty and truth, he will face the legal ramifications when VDC brings its charges against him. Meanwhile, MrBeast Burger continues business as usual. VDC is confident in its eventual dismissal in court.”
