Ed, a businessperson, is a friend of Fran, the owner of a Good Bean Coffee & Bagels store. Every day, Ed spends five minutes in Fran’s store, looking at the goods and usually buying one or two cinnamon buns or bagels. One afternoon, Ed goes into the store, looks at the items, and picks up a $1 chocolate brownie. Ed waves the brownie at Fran without saying a word and walks out. Is there a contract? If so, how would it be classified in terms of formation, performance, and enforceability?

Answer 1

Answer: The facts presented here indicate the presence of all the elements necessary for a valid contract. There are a serious offer and acceptance, consideration is exchanged (a candy bar for $1), both parties have capacity, the selling of the candy is legal, and there is no particular form required for this type of contract. Thus, a contract exists and for the reasons given here is classified as valid, enforceable, and informal. In addition, this is a classic case of an implied contract. There is no explicit agreement between the parties. Rather, an agreement is implied by Ed's action of waving the candy bar and by his past conduct. By his conduct Ed is telling Fran that he will pay for the candy later. The contract is also bilateral (as opposed to unilateral), because Fran impliedly promises to sell the candy to Ed in exchange for Ed's implied promise to pay. The contract is partially executory, as Ed has engaged to pay for the candy in the future. Because the contract is for a legal purpose, both parties have capacity, and voluntariness of consent is not an issue, the contract is neither voidable nor void.