The most profound and devastating crisis in the history of Jack in the Box occurred in early 1993, when a massive multistate outbreak of foodborne E. coli O157:H7 bacteria was linked directly to undercooked hamburger patties served at several of its restaurants. The outbreak tragically resulted in the deaths of four children and sickened over 700 people, triggering intense public scrutiny, sweeping executive overhauls, massive lawsuits, and a complete modernization of American meat safety regulations and internal corporate cooking standards.