One Dollar Cheeseburgers Cost More in Legal Bills

The majority owner of Burger King restaurants is suing the fast food chain, claiming that the $1 double cheeseburger the franchise promotes is costing them money.

The National Franchisee Association (NFA), a group that controls more than 80 percent of Burger King, filed a suit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida against the Miami-based restaurant chain in an attempt to prevent Burger King from controlling pricing models, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.

According to the filing, the franchisees voted twice this year to reject a proposal by Burger King to add their double cheeseburger to the $1 menu, as the group claimed the sandwich costs more than $1 to produce and sell.

Despite the NFA's protests, the company announced that starting on October 19, the fast food chain would add the item to the value menu, the lawsuit says.

"After attempts to compromise on maximum pricing were unsuccessful, we have been forced to pursue a judicial resolution on this issue," said NFA chairman William Harloe Jr.

Burger King's attorneys claim that they are in possession of contracts requiring the NFA to participate in the Burger King value menu program.

The chain's value menu currently includes french fries, the Whopper Jr, chicken crisps and BK burger shots.