Burger King is in legal trouble over the size of its Whopper

Burger King is facing whopping legal issues because of its Whopper burger.

The company has been hit with a class action lawsuit which accuses the fast food giant of misleading customers by showing the burger on menus larger than it actually is, with a meatier patty and ingredients that "overflow over the bun", a US judge has ruled.

The lawsuit alleged that the Whopper was made to look 35 per cent larger, with more than double the amount of meat compared to what was actually served to customers.

But Burger King has denied the claim, telling the BBC "the plaintiffs' claims are false."

It earlier argued that it was not required to deliver burgers that look "exactly like the picture".

"The flame-grilled beef patties portrayed in our advertising are the same patties used in the millions of Whopper sandwiches we serve to guests nationwide," a spokesperson said in a statement after the ruling.

In the ruling, US District Judge Roy Altman said it should be left to jurors to "tell us what reasonable people think".

However, he dismissed claims that Burger King misled customers with its television and online advertisements.

It is not the first time a fast food chain has faced legal challenges over claims of false advertising.

Earlier this year, Taco Bell was sued in the US for selling pizzas and wraps that allegedly contained half the filling that was advertised.

Last year, a man in New York proposed a class-action lawsuit against McDonald's and Wendy's, accusing the two companies of unfair and deceptive trade practices and alleging the burgers in marketing materials were at least 15 per cent larger than they were in real life.

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