White Castle Connoisseur, Martin Kessman, Sues Fast Food Chain Over Booth Sizes

Martin Kessman loves his White Castle. But according to a new lawsuit filed by the White Castle connoisseur, it is impossible for a man of his size to enjoy a White Castle meal inside the restaurant. Why? Because White Castle doesn’t have booths big enough to accommodate the restaurant’s overweight customers.

This, according to Kessman, violates the civil rights of fat people.

Kessman says that the Americans With Disabilities Act is:

“applicable, not only to me, but to pregnant women and to handicapped people. I just want to sit down like a normal person.”

The 64-year-old stockbroker weighs in at 290 pounds and says that he has no problem using airline seats or finding a place to sit at other fast food chains. But White Castle uses stationary booths, which apparently, are not one size fits all.

Kessman wrote a letter to White Castle in 2009 when he finally got fed up from banging his knees and squeezing in his gut as he sat at a White Castle booth. Kessman wrote:

“As I looked around the restaurant, I saw that there were no tables and chairs that could accommodate a person that merely wanted to sit down and eat his meal.”

According to the New York Post, White Castle sent back a few condescending letters, a few coupons for some sliders (cheese not included) and a hollow promise to make larger booths.

Kessman said:

“They sent me specs and everything, about how the booths were going to be enlarged and made comfortable for people with a little more weight. So two and a half years went by, and nothing was done.”

Kessman is suing the burger chain for bigger chairs and unspecified damages.

So should White Castle be required to provide seating for obese people? My guess is that the majority of White Castle patrons, like Martin Kessman, have a few extra pounds around their waists. It’s probably in White Castle’s best interest to give them a place to sit.