How does title transfer work regarding personal, moveable property?
<p>What exactly is a title? And how are titles transfered for things other than real estate?</p>

<p>If I purchase a burger from McDonald's, is there a transfer of title in the burger from McDonald's -> me?</p>

<p>If I ask my friend to buy a $5 burger for me and he says "ok, give me the $5", and I give him $5, and he goes and buys a $5 burger and brings it to me and gives it to me, in what way is the title transferred?</p>

<p>Is it accurate to say that my friend is never the true owner of the burger, and that although <strong>possession</strong> of the burger transferred from McDonald's -> my friend -> me, <strong>title</strong> of the burger transferred from McDonald's -> me directly?</p>

<p>If, after buying the burger, he eats it, would I be correct in claiming that "he ate my burger"?</p>

<p>Title is an abstraction. Although it is sometimes evidenced by a piece of paper, it is just a word for having custody, possession and control over something sufficient to indicate ownership. It exists for any property that changes hands, though it is usually not reduced to a written form.  </p>

<p>Under <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/ucc/2/2-401" rel="nofollow noreferrer">UCC § 2-401</a>, title for movable goods -- such as cheeseburgers -- transfers from the seller to the buyer automatically, at the time the seller completes his obligations for physical delivery of the goods. McDonald's obligations for delivery of the cheeseburger end when they slide the tray over to you or hand off the bag of food, so that is the point in time where title transfers. </p>

<p>Even though your friend handles the transaction, he does so as your agent. Because McDonald's does not know he's making the transaction on your behalf, the contract for sale of a cheeseburger is between him and McDonald's, but the title nonetheless passes directly to you.</p>

<p>If he eats the cheeseburger, he eats your cheeseburger. Incidentally, eating your cheeseburger is:</p>

<ol>
<li>A violation of his duty of loyalty as an agent;</li>
<li>Probably theft; and</li>
<li>Not cool. </li>
</ol>

property