A Brazilian court ruled this week that McDonald's must pay a former franchise¹ manager $17,500 because he gained 65 pounds (30 kilograms) while working there for a dozen years.

巴西一家法院本周做出判决，要求麦当劳必须赔偿其一家连锁店的前任经理1.75万美元，因为他在麦当劳工作的12年间体重增加了65镑（合30公斤）。

The 32-year-old man said he felt forced to sample the food each day to ensure quality standards remained high, because McDonald's hired "mystery clients" to randomly² visit restaurants and report on the food, service and cleanliness.

The man also said the company offered free lunches to employees, adding to his caloric intake³（热量摄取） while on the job. His identity was not released.

The ruling was signed Tuesday by Judge Joao Ghisleni Filho in Porto Alegre.

Ghisleni said McDonald's could appeal the case, and the Brazilian headquarters of the chain said in an e-mailed statement Thursday it was weighing its legal options.

McDonald's also noted⁴ that it offers healthier food choices.

"The chain offers a large variety of options and balanced menus to cater⁵（投合，迎合） (to) the daily dietary needs of its employees," the company said in the statement.

McDonald's headquarters is in Oak Brook⁶, Illinois.