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  • FARAH GOHARI et al vs MCDONALD?S CORPORATION et al Class Actions document preview
  • FARAH GOHARI et al vs MCDONALD?S CORPORATION et al Class Actions document preview
  • FARAH GOHARI et al vs MCDONALD?S CORPORATION et al Class Actions document preview
  • FARAH GOHARI et al vs MCDONALD?S CORPORATION et al Class Actions document preview
  • FARAH GOHARI et al vs MCDONALD?S CORPORATION et al Class Actions document preview
  • FARAH GOHARI et al vs MCDONALD?S CORPORATION et al Class Actions document preview
  • FARAH GOHARI et al vs MCDONALD?S CORPORATION et al Class Actions document preview
  • FARAH GOHARI et al vs MCDONALD?S CORPORATION et al Class Actions document preview
						
                                

Preview

Hearing Date: No hearing scheduled Location: <> J udge: Calendar, 9 FILED 10/21/2022 5:36 PM IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS IRIS Y. MARTINEZ CIRCUIT CLERK COUNTY DEPARTMENT, CHANCERY DIVISION COOK COUNTY, IL 2016CH08261 FARAH GOHARI as the Named Calendar, 9 Class Representative Plaintiff, and all 20001500 others similarly situated, Plaintiff, Case No. 2016 CH 08261 Vv. Hon. Cecilia A. Horan McDONALD’S CORPORATION, LOTT #1, INC., McDonald’s franchise at O’Hare Airport, Terminal 1, Concourse C, and LOTT #1, INC., McDonald’s franchise at O’Hare Airport, Terminal 1, Concourse B, Defendants. EXHIBITS C-H TO DEFENDANT McDONALD’S CORPORATION’S MEMORANDUM OF LAW IN SUPPORT OF ITS MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT EXHIBIT C i a a 2 od 2 . ea et can ara fl Cae g 9 gop te) etn ° cael Eg ge if ft 8 i i ; a Sk i] By o Qe a rn i I ae - [Bee i B. t Ee) je | eel Purchased from re:SearchIL Cc 12 ce Ee Si i: a ead | mo Pe iT gas 2g af i i = Bi. San Ss RTS o Ss Pe oe = = ) ce Bee va as cf 1 ii Purchased from re:SearchIL Cc 126 EXHIBIT D J tssue:[ - DISCREDIT THT Text Type :/EMAIL =] x Date Added: 05/28/2016 13:46:04 Added By: CISBRP Description stmatt - Modified By: CISBRP Language 1D ast Modified: 05/28/2016 13:46:04 [Senders IP Address: 10.1.33.254 |Form: restmatters: Mobile: Y ‘Twitter: N ‘Secial: None [App: none NameTitle: Ms. ‘FirstHlame: Farah ‘LastName: { Gohari 912 n.redbrush ct ||! CustAddres: CustAddress2 [CustCity: Wichita, kansas |CustState: KS iCustZip: 67206 DayPhone: 316-640-8314 EvePhone: 316-640-8314 iContactTime: Any time E-mailAddress: Globaltrends@cox.net Date: 05/28/2016 10:45 AM VisitType: In-Store NationalStore: RestAddress: Chicago airport concourse 1 RestCity: Chicago share RestState: 'RestLandmark: Chicago iFollowUp: YES [OtherChannel: (Commer was at the airport chicago ohare. I looke at the menu and chose breakfast meal 4.75 and asked for a ‘egg biscuit which usually is 99 cents. Iwas asked to pay 11 dollars. When i asked why they said steak egg buscuit was 6.70 and the rest was egg . Ithen asked why the menu price was 4.75 and you charge 6.70. The cashier isaid that is the price menu was wrong. Then itold her to delete the egg sandwich and replace with another meal \from menu. This time my total was 14.70ish. I was upset because again they charged almost 7 dollars for ‘something that on the display was 4.70. Then i asked to remeve it and just give me the first meal and pancake. she brought her manager who i believe was less than 20 years old . She said mcdonal knows about the proce difference. Then i said advertisied price should be the price but she said no she can not honor that price. I took jicture of the board and have my reciept. 1 am planning to go viral as i was humiliated , over charged and food was not good. Customer has rights and you can not advertose wrong proce and charge people who are in rush more money without them knovsing. My email address is globaltrends@cox.net | || 100% y EXHIBIT EXHIBIT E IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT, CHANCERY DIVISION FARAH GOHARI as the Named ) Class Representative Plaintiff, and all ) others similarly situated, Plaintiff, Case No. 2016 CH 08261 Vv. McDONALD’S CORPORATION, Hon. Anna M. Loftus LOTT #1, INC., McDonald’s franchise at O’Hare Airport, Terminal 1, Concourse C, and LOTT #1, INC., McDonald’s franchise at O’Hare Airport, Terminal 1, Concourse B, Defendants. AFFIDAVIT OF KATHY ANDERSEN I, Kathy Andersen, being first duly sworn on oath, depose and state as follows: 1 I am currently employed by McDonald’s USA, LLC as Manager, Customer Satisfaction and Engagement. In that position, I am responsible for overseeing McDonald’s Customer Contact Center to make sure McDonald’s customer service agents have the tools, knowledge, and procedures necessary to properly respond to communications from McDonald’s customers, 2 McDonald’s USA, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of McDonald’s Corporation and the franchisor of McDonald’s-branded restaurant locations throughout the United States. I have been employed by McDonald’s USA, LLC or its predecessor-in- interest, McDonald’s Corporation, for approximately 34 years. 3 The facts set forth in this Affidavit are based upon my personal knowledge and upon my review of documents kept in the ordinary course of business at McDonald’s. If called as a witness, I could testify competently thereto. 4 McDonald’s solicits feedback from its customers on its website, medonalds.com. One way customers may provide this feedback is to access the “Restaurant Feedback” page, where customers can electronically input information about their restaurant experiences. The precise web address for this page is https://www.mcedonalds.com/us/en- us/contact-us/restaurant-feedback.html. 5 The “Restaurant Feedback” page allows customers to populate various fields by providing details about their trip to a McDonald’s restaurant, such as the restaurant they visited, the date and time of their visit, their contact information, a narrative description of their restaurant experience, and whether they would like a response to their comment or inquiry from the restaurant owner’s organization. 6 When a customer hits the “submit” button at the bottom of this webpage, the information he or she has inputted into the fields on the webpage is electronically transmitted to a McDonald’s-owned email box, where it is put in a queue for customer service agents to review and process. 7 Attached as Exhibit A to this Affidavit is a screenshot of the information someone identifying herself as the plaintiff in this case, Farah Gohari, inputted into McDonald’s website using a mobile device on May 28, 2016. I am familiar with the data fields set forth on this screenshot in my capacity as a Manager with oversight responsibility for McDonald’s customer service personnel. 8 On Exhibit A, all of the data from the field that reads, “NameTitle: Ms.” through the end of the document was supplied by Ms. Gohari. The “Comment” section at the bottom was a narrative written entirely by Ms. Gohari on the Restaurant Feedback website page. At McDonald’s, we refer to this narrative as a customer “email” (even though, technically, it is information inputted into fields on a webpage that the customer knows will -2- be sent to McDonald’s). Ms. Gohari also identified the McDonald’s restaurant she visited; provided her name, address, telephone number, and email address; identified the date of her visit as May 28, 2016; and requested a response from the restaurant owner’s organization. 9 The narrative description Ms. Gohari provided in the “Comment” section of Exhibit A to this Affidavit has not been altered, edited, amended, or revised in any way. The text of this description appears exactly as it appeared when it arrived in McDonald’s email box on May 28, 2016. 10. The data on the attached screenshot (Exhibit A) was generated through an automated process (described above) that is part of a regularly conducted business activity at McDonald’s. This data has been maintained by McDonald’s in the ordinary course of its regularly conducted business activities since its receipt on May 28, 2016. FURTHER AFFIANT SAYETH NAUGHT. Keshas dodo KA@HY ANDERSEN STATE OF ILLINOIS ) ) Ss. COUNTY OF COOK ) The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me on April 22, 2019 by Kathy Andersen, known to me or proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence to be the person who executed the foregoing instrument, and she thereupon duly acknowledged to me that she executed the same to be her free act and deed, WITNESS my hand and official seal. Si bebtankacbran v cure Notary Public ARRAS OFFICIAL SEAL SRBOBRANKA. NOTARY PUBLIC - STATE OF ILLINOIS ‘MY COMMISSION EXPIRES:09/26/22 ae -3- J tssue:[ - DISCREDIT THT Text Type :/EMAIL =] x Date Added: 05/28/2016 13:46:04 Added By: CISBRP Description stmatt - Modified By: CISBRP Language 1D ast Modified: 05/28/2016 13:46:04 [Senders IP Address: 10.1.33.254 |Form: restmatters: Mobile: Y ‘Twitter: N ‘Secial: None [App: none NameTitle: Ms. ‘FirstHlame: Farah ‘LastName: { Gohari 912 n.redbrush ct ||! CustAddres: CustAddress2 [CustCity: Wichita, kansas |CustState: KS iCustZip: 67206 DayPhone: 316-640-8314 EvePhone: 316-640-8314 iContactTime: Any time E-mailAddress: Globaltrends@cox.net Date: 05/28/2016 10:45 AM VisitType: In-Store NationalStore: RestAddress: Chicago airport concourse 1 RestCity: Chicago share RestState: 'RestLandmark: Chicago iFollowUp: YES [OtherChannel: (Commer was at the airport chicago ohare. I looke at the menu and chose breakfast meal 4.75 and asked for a ‘egg biscuit which usually is 99 cents. Iwas asked to pay 11 dollars. When i asked why they said steak egg buscuit was 6.70 and the rest was egg . Ithen asked why the menu price was 4.75 and you charge 6.70. The cashier isaid that is the price menu was wrong. Then itold her to delete the egg sandwich and replace with another meal \from menu. This time my total was 14.70ish. I was upset because again they charged almost 7 dollars for ‘something that on the display was 4.70. Then i asked to remeve it and just give me the first meal and pancake. she brought her manager who i believe was less than 20 years old . She said mcdonal knows about the proce difference. Then i said advertisied price should be the price but she said no she can not honor that price. I took jicture of the board and have my reciept. 1 am planning to go viral as i was humiliated , over charged and food was not good. Customer has rights and you can not advertose wrong proce and charge people who are in rush more money without them knovsing. My email address is globaltrends@cox.net | || 100% y EXHIBIT EXHIBIT F ELECTRONICALLY FILED Sr rer W/E} ORE 1 SMLIFF EM. CALENDAR; 15 vill hinged iW at CORE UNTY, TELING ERY DIVISION IS CLERK DOROTITY BROW N Tes Valid-a date ig? TERMINAL - URS C CHICAGO AL G00. dot] THANK YE Td TEL 77 686 1540 Stora 17278 KOH | May 116 (Sat). 09:43 TOTAL 6.20 3.40 = 60 et Bt Purchased from re:SearchIL Cc 124 EXHIBIT G IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT—CHANCERY DIVISION FARAH GOHARI, as the Named Class Representative Plaintiff, and all others similarly situated, Plaintiff, Vv. 16 CH 8261 Hon. Kathleen M. Pantle McDONALD’S CORPORATION; McDONALD’S FRANCHISE AT O’HARE AIRPORT, TERMINAL 1, CONCOURSE C; and McDONALD’S FRANCHISE AT O’ HARE AIRPORT, TERMINAL 1, CONCOURSE B, Defendants. ORDER Defendant McDonald’s Corporation (“McDonald’s) has moved to dismiss the Class Action Complaint filed by Plaintiff Farah Gohari (“Gohari”) pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/2-615. The essence of Gohari’s complaint is that McDonald’s committed fraud when it sold items for a higher price than was listed on the price board. The issues are (1) whether Gohari has stated a cause of action where she has pleaded that she knew, at the time she paid for her food items, that the prices actually charged by McDonald’s were higher than listed on the price board and (2) whether Gohari can prosecute class action claims based on two separate incidents where she purchased food items only at Concourse C in Terminal 1 and she not present at Concourse B in Terminal 1 when her lawyer’s investigator allegedly purchased food items. Both locations are at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago (“O’ Hare”). McDonald’s motion is granted in part and denied in part. Background Allegations Gohari, a citizen of the state of Kansas, was travelling through O’Hare on or about May 28, 2016 due to a layover. (Compl. {J 2, 18, 19). She decided to get breakfast during the layover and went to the McDonald’s franchise located in Terminal 1, Concourse C. (Compl. 4 21, 4, 23). After waiting in line, she placed an order. (Compl. ¥ 23). When the cashier Purchased from re:SearchIL Cc 97 announced the total of the order, Gohari inquired about the price of her items because it appeared that the amount seemed greater than it should be. (Compl. § 24). The cashier informed Gohari that the amounts on the electronic menu board were wrong. (Compl. 25). Gohari then chose new items, and again noticed that the amount charged seemed greater than expected. (Compl. § 26). Gohari inquired again and received the same response from the cashier. (/d.). Additionally, the cashier chastised Gohari for not wanting to pay the higher price. (Compl. § 27). The cashier also informed Gohari that the advertised prices had been wrong for some time, and that neither she nor a McDonald’s manager would alter or lower the price of the order to adhere to the price advertised. (Compl. { 28). Gohari selected other items to order, and complained to the cashier that it was not fair to have mis-advertised prices on the menu. (Compl. {§ 29, 33, 31). Gohari requested a complete correction of the price, but the cashier refused to alter the price. (Compl. § 32). When Gohari received the receipt for her final order she discovered that the prices were in excess of what was listed on the menu board; specifically, Gohari was charged $6.20 for a Steak and Egg McMuffin® which was advertised on the menu board for $4.80. (Compl. 4.33). Prior to filing this complaint, as late as June 19, 2016, Gohari’s lawyer sent an investigator to O’Hare. (Compl. § 39). The investigator found similar overcharges on the menu boards at the McDonald’s franchise located at O’Hare Terminal 1, Concourse B. (/d.). Based on the operative group of facts, Gohari filed a class action complaint containing two counts: Count I alleges common law fraud and Count II alleges a violation of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act (“ICFA”), 815 ILCS 505/1 et seq. Motion to Dismiss McDonald’s has filed a section 2-615 motion to dismiss. McDonald’s contends that dismissal of the common law fraud count is appropriate because the allegations of Gohari’s complaint show that she did not reasonably rely on the prices on the electronic menu board where she had been advised that the prices were incorrect before she paid for her meal. McDonald’s also contends that dismissal of the ICFA count is appropriate because Gohari was not deceived by false menu board prices. Finally, McDonald’s contends that, since Gohari did not purchase anything at the franchise located in Concourse B, Gohari cannot be a class representative for anything that occurred in Concourse B. 2 Purchased from re:SearchIL Cc 98 Section 2-615 A motion to dismiss brought under 735 ILCS 5/2-615 questions the legal sufficiency of the complaint. Jarvis v. South Oak Dodge, Inc., 201 Ill. 2d 81, 85-86 (2002) (citing Bd. of Directors of Bloomfield Club Recreation Ass'n v. The Hoffman Group, Inc., 186 Ill. 2d 419, 423 (1999)). “In ruling on such a section 2-615 motion, only those facts apparent from the face of the pleadings, matters of which the court can take judicial notice, and judicial admissions in the record may be considered.” K. Miller Constr. Co. v. McGinnis, 238 I11.2d 284, 291 (2010). This Court must therefore determine whether the allegations in the complaint state a cause of action upon which relief may be granted when viewed in the light most favorable to the non-movant. Jarvis, 201 Ill. 2d at 86 (citing Ziemba v. Mierzwa, 142 Ill. 2d 42, 47 (1991)). Furthermore, the complaint must be considered as a whole. Cain v. American Nat’l Bank and Trust Co. of Chicago, 26 Ill. App. 3d 574, 578 (1st Dist. 1975) (citing Courtney v. Bd. of Education, 6 Ill. App. 3d 424 (1st Dist. 1972)). A complaint should not be dismissed under section 2-615 for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted unless it is apparent that no set of facts could be proved under the pleadings entitling plaintiffs to recovery. Khan v. Deutsche Bank AG, 2012 IL 112219, 4 47. In order to effectively state a cause of action, the plaintiff must allege the essential elements of the claim. Gonzales v. American Express Credit Corp., et al., 315 Ill. App. 3d 199, 206 (1st Dist. 2000) (citing Gallagher Corp v. Russ, 309 Ill. App. 3d 192, 199 (st Dist. 1999)). Moreover, Illinois is a fact-pleading jurisdiction. Coghlan v. Beck, 2013 IL App (lst) 120891, § 22. Conclusions of fact are insufficient to state a cause of action regardless of whether they generally inform the defendant of the nature of the claim against him. Jd. Even the general policy favoring the liberal construction of pleadings will not satisfy the requirement that a complaint set forth facts necessary for recovery under the theory asserted. Alpha School Bus Co. v. Wagner, 391 Ill. App.3d 722, 735 (1st Dist. 2009). Analysis Gohari has not pleaded reasonable reliance To state a claim for common law fraud a plaintiff must allege: (1) a false statement of material fact; (2) the party making the statement knew or believed it to be untrue; (3) the party to Purchased from re:SearchIL Cc 99 whom the statement was made had a right to rely on the statement; (4) the party to whom the statement was made did rely on the statement; (5) the statement was made for the purpose of inducing the other party to act; and (6) the reliance by the person to whom the statement was made led to that person’s injury. Cramer v. Insurance Exchange Agency, 174 Ill.2d 513, 529 (1996). Common law fraud demands a higher standard when it comes to pleading, i.e. “(t]he facts which constitute an alleged fraud must be pleaded with sufficient specificity, particularity and certainty to apprise the opposing party of what he is called upon to answer.” Green v. Rogers, 234 Illl.2d 478, 494 (2009), quoting Board of Education of the City of Chicago v. A, C & S, Inc., 131 Il.2d 428, 457 (1989). McDonald’s contends that Gohari has pleaded herself out of court by pleading that she knew before she paid for her food items that the prices on the electronic menu board were not correct in that the listed prices were less than the charged prices. McDonald’s argues that Gohari did not rely on the listed prices because the cashier informed her that the prices were erroneous before Gohari paid for her food items. Reasonable reliance is an essential element of a claim for common law fraud. Mince v. George, 395 Ill. App.3d 399 (1st Dist. 2009). “A person may not enter into a transaction with her eyes closed to available information and then charge that she has been deceived by another. If the party’s reliance is unreasonable in light of the information open to her, the loss is considered her own responsibility.” Jd. at 402 (internal citations omitted) (internal quotation marks omitted). In this case, Gohari has pleaded that she was not deceived because she has pleaded that she was aware that the price she was being charged was higher than the listed price before she paid for her meal. When she inquired, the cashier told her that the listed prices were incorrect. Instead of merely walking away at that point, Gohari placed a second order. When the price for that meal was announced by the cashier, Gohari once again determined that the price was incorrect. The cashier repeated the statement that the listed prices were incorrect, and refused to alter the price at Gohari’s request. Once again, instead of merely walking away, Gohari placed a third order for which she paid despite being given all the information that she needed, i.e. that the listed prices were incorrect and that they were higher than what was actually charged. Under the circumstances that Gohari herself pleaded, her reliance was unreasonable. Purchased from re:SearchIL Cc 100 Though Gohari points out that she was at O’Hare and could not leave the airport because she needed to catch a connecting flight, this fact does not compel a different result. It is common knowledge that O’Hare has a multitude of places to eat, including many fast-food restaurants and places to purchase snacks and sandwiches such as Starbucks, and therefore Gohari was not forced to buy a meal at McDonald’s. Gohari impliedly concedes that O’Hare has other eating establishments because she pleads that she did not want to eat elsewhere. Merely because she waited 20 minutes in line at McDonald’s does not mean that every restaurant and other establishment that serves food had a lengthy wait time. In any event, the fact that Gohari may have been inconvenienced by having to go elsewhere to eat has nothing to do with whether she was deceived or whether she reasonably relied on the prices posted on the electronic listing board. Gohari also argues that the rudeness of the cashier when telling her that she was holding up the line makes her reliance reasonable. The cashier’s rudeness did not make Gohari’s reliance reasonable, however, because the cashier was providing Gohari with all the information she needed about pricing. The fact that the cashier conveyed the information in a rude manner has nothing to do with Gohari’s alleged reliance, as Gohari admits that the information that the cashier conveyed was correct, i.e. the prices on the menu board mis-stated the actual prices. Finally, though Gohari argues that the cashier did not tell her which menu items were mis-priced, the information available to Gohari was that the listed prices were wrong, and her first two orders were mis-priced. Gohari herself pleaded that the cashier repeatedly told her that the prices listed on the electronic board were wrong. (Compl. §] 25, 26). Gohari independently corroborated that the listed prices were wrong on her first two orders. She therefore did not, and could not have given the information provided to her, reasonably rely on the incorrect information on the electronic menu board. Gohari has pleaded a proper ICFA claim The ICFA prohibits [u]nfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices, including but not limited to the use or employment of any deception fraud, false pretense, false promise, misrepresentation or the concealment, suppression or omission of any material fact, with intent that others rely upon the concealment, suppression or omission of such material fact, or the use or employment of any practice described in Section 2 of the 5 Purchased from re:SearchIL c 101 ‘Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act’, in the conduct of any trade or commerce. .. 815 ILCS 505/2 (internal citations omitted). Section 2 of the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act provides in relevant part: (a) A person engages in a deceptive trade practice when, in the course of his or her business, vocation, or occupation, the person: (9) advertises goods or services with intent not to sell them as advertised. 815 ILCS 510/2(a)(9). ICFA provides a private cause of action only where a plaintiff can show that he suffered damage as a result of unlawful conduct proscribed by the statute. Smith v. Prime Cable of Chicago, 276 Ill. App. 3d 843, 859 (1st Dist. 1995). In order to adequately plead a cause of action under the CFA in a private cause of action, a plaintiff must allege: (1) a deceptive act or practice by the defendant; (2) the defendant's intent that the plaintiff rely on the deception; (3) that the deception occurred in the course of conduct involving trade or commerce; and (4) actual damage to the plaintiff (5) proximately caused by the deception. Oliveira v. Amoco Oil Co., 201 Ill. 2d 134, 149 (2002); 815 ILCS 505/10a (a). Although a violation of the ICFA may occur in the absence of damages, a private cause of action does not arise absent a showing of both a violation and resultant damage. Tarin v. Pellonari, 253 Ill. App. 3d 542, 554 (1st Dist. 1993). Unlike ‘common law fraud, reliance by the consumer is not an element. “Although the defendant’s intent that its deception be relied on is an element, no actual reliance is required to state a cause of action under the Consumer Fraud Act.” Chandler v. Am. Gen. Fin., 329 Ill. App.3d 729, 741 (1st Dist. 2002). However, in order to recover, a plaintiff must show that the defendant’s consumer fraud proximately caused her injurics. Jd. “The required allegation of causation is minimal, because that determination is best left to the trier of fact.” Jd. citing Connick v. Suzuki Motor Co., 174 Ill.2d 482, 504 (1996). Gohari has sufficiently alleged a cause of action for a violation of the ICFA. She has pleaded facts that McDonald’s, in the course of trade or commerce, advertised goods at a particular price with the intent not to sell them at that price. 815 ILCS 510/2(a)(9). Gohari has pleaded sufficient facts to show actual damage proximately caused by the deception—she paid Purchased from re:SearchIL c 102 for items at a price higher than advertised. As her pleading requirement is minimal on this issue, she has met the pleading requirement. Gohari cannot be a class representative for any alleged acts that occurred at Terminal 1, Concourse B To the extent that any of the allegations rest on the activities of Gohari’s lawyer’s investigator’s actions at the McDonald’s franchise located at O'Hare, Terminal 1, Concourse B, those allegations are dismissed and neither Gohari nor the putative class may seek damages or any other recovery based on those actions. The only named plaintiff is Gohari herself and she is named as the class representative. An adequate class representative must: (1) be a member of the class; (2) not seek relief that is potentially antagonistic to non-representative members of the class; and (3) have the desire and ability to prosecute the claim vigorously on behalf of herself and the other class members, which requires a sufficient level of knowledge and understanding of the litigation. Byer Clinic & Chiropractic, Ltd. v. Kapraun, 2016 IL App (ist) 142733, 4 9). In order to be a member of the class, the named plaintiff must be able to maintain an individual cause of action against the defendant. Ramirez v. Smart Corp., 371 Ill. App.3d 797, 810 3d Dist. 2007). Gohari cannot personally prosecute any claims based on actions taken by another. She did not suffer any injury in connection with the alleged events at Concourse B nor did she suffer any damages in connection with those alleged events. No one allegedly attempted to defraud Gohari at the McDonald’s franchise at Concourse B nor did anyone commit any unfair or deceptive act against her at Concourse B. She has not even alleged that she was at O’Hare in June, 2016, much less that she placed an order at the McDonald’s in Concourse B and was defrauded and deceived by the pricing. As no one made any false statements to Gohari that she relied on, she can never prove common law fraud in connection with the alleged events in Concourse B. Cramer, 174 Ill.2d at 529. As Gohari is not a person who has suffered damages due to a violation of the ICFA, she can never prove a claim under the ICFA in connection with the alleged events in Concourse B. 815 ILCS 505/10a(a). Thus, as Gohari is not a member of any class for any events that allegedly occurred at Concourse B, those alleged events are not properly in this complaint. Gohari argued at oral argument that the events are properly pleaded because her attorneys were conducting due diligence when they sent their investigator to the McDonald’s franchise 7 Purchased from re:SearchIL Cc 103 located at O’Hare, Terminal 1, Concourse B so that their obligations under Supreme Court Rule 137 could be met. Il. S. Ct. R. 137, However, though compliance with Rule 137 is mandatory, due diligence conducted in connection with that Rule does not form the basis for bringing a separate cause of action or seeking additional damages. Essentially, Gohari is using her Rule 137 due diligence in an attempt to increase the number of class members (i.e. buyers of McDonald’s food items at the McDonald’s franchise located in Concourse B of Terminal | on July 19, 2016), and increase the amount of potential damages owed by McDonald’s by expanding the length of the class period of time from events that allegedly occurred on May 28, 2016 to events that allegedly occurred between May 28, 2016 through June 19, 2016, inclusive’. This is improper. She is not a member of any class related to the McDonald’s franchise at Concourse B because she was not present when the alleged events occurred, suffered no injuries, suffered no damages, and therefore she cannot bring a cause of action related to anything that occurred at that franchise. The complaint must be amended to redact any reference to actions taken by Gohari’s lawyer’s investigator, and Gohari and the putative class may not seek any recovery, whether money damages, injunction, or any other remedy, for any alleged event that occurred at the McDonald’s franchise, O’Hare, Terminal 1, Concourse B, as that alleged event is not a cause of action in this case. Whether the activities of Gohari’s lawyer’s investigator are admissible in evidence at a trial is a question for another day. Nothing in this Order should be construed as a possible ruling on the issue of the possible admissibility of such evidence as this Order deals only with whether Gohari can bring a cause of action in connection with events with which she had no connection. * Plaintiff's Response Brief makes Plaintiff's intent clear. Plaintiff argues “McDonald’s was still overcharging customers not only at the same location, but others as well.” (Resp. p. 3). Plaintiff also argues, “Indeed, McDonald’s does not dispute the Complaint’s major claim that it overcharged menu items, for at least — nearly —a month or more, at multiple O’Hare restaurants.” (/d.). 8 Purchased from re:SearchIL c 104 McDonald’s motion is granted in part and denied in part. Count I is dismissed with prejudice. Count II stands. The Complaint must be amended to redact any reference to the events of June 19, 2016 in accordance with this Order. Plaintiff is granted twenty-eight days from the date of this Order to aménd. Defendants are granted twenty-eight days thereafter to answer or otherwise plead. This case is set for status on January 31, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. DATE: November 30, 2016 EPn2 yw yw? ee yi oY Cort i HYHA Po Bid LN (| Af QQ wr at aN a. P; [775 ER or “any co ee "OC, oO ot Purchased from re:SearchIL c 105 EXHIBIT H IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, TNO Dow COUNTY DEPARTMENT—CHANCERY DIVISION FARAH GOHARI, as the Named Class Representative Plaintiff, and all others similarly situated, Plaintiff, v. 16 CH 8261 Hon. Kathleen M. Pantle McDONALD’S CORPORATION; McDONALD’ FRANCHISE AT O’HARE AIRPORT, TERMINAL 1, CONCOURSE C; and McDONALD’S FRANCHISE AT O?HARE AIRPORT, TERMINAL 1, CONCOURSE B, Defendants. ORDER Defendant McDonald’s Corporation (“McDonald’s Corp.”) moves this Court to. Dismiss Count IM of Plaintiff's Farah Gohari (“Gohari”) First Amended Class Action Complaint, reconsider denial of its Motion to Dismiss Count II of Plaintiffs original Complaint, and to strike any allegations concerning the activities of Gohari’s lawyer’s investigator. In Count III, Gohari pleads a violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”), 18 U.