Coke Agrees to Pay Burger King

Coca-Cola Co. has agreed to pay hamburger chain Burger King Corp. and its operators more than $20 million to settle a dispute over a rigged marketing test for Frozen Coke, according to a Burger King document.

Atlanta-based Coke, the world’s largest soft drink maker, admitted in June that some of its employees manipulated the results of a test of the frozen soft drink in 2000 to win Burger King’s business.

Coke will pay each Burger King franchisee that had a machine dispensing the slushy soda $1,000 for a total of up to $8.4 million, according to the letter, issued by Burger King to the restaurant’s operators Tuesday.

Officials of Miami-based Burger King declined to comment on the letter, signed by Burger King Chief Executive Bradley Blum.

A spokesman for Coke declined to comment. Coke’s stock rose 3 cents to $44.65 on the New York Stock Exchange.