In reply to k2ixe's post in the other forum:

You know, I'm kind of embarrassed to have to admit it, but you do have a point.

I was looking at it in terms of a company knowingly selling a "dangerous" product. But I suppose you could make the same argument about a company that makes hatchets - are they to be held responsible every time somebody chops off his own foot?

I guess the test should be to ask, "Was the danger obvious?" In the case of an axe, or a knife, or a stove, I think the answer must be "yes". Likewise, I have to admit that anyone with a brain should know that coffee is made with boiling water, and that it therefore has the potential to scald.

I'd still like to know what temperature most restaurant equipment is set at. If most restaurant equipment is set to keep coffee at a temperature hot enough to satisfy the customer, but not hot enough to cause life-threatening burns, then why did McD's consider it necessary to serve it hot enough to hospitalize?

I'm going to dig out the thermometer from my old dark room and measure the temperature of the coffee in my little home coffee-brewer, just out of curiosity.