I have a friend who got fired.

Hmm.. I guess if it's company property and he was aware of the rule, he could be fired. But it seems like if he's in his own car, it shouldn't be a problem. Might not be fair, but if that's the rule, it's the rule. Your friend should look into the law and see if his state is an at-will state, meaning that you can be fired for virtually no reason. Then he doesn't have a chance.

Even if he is smoking in his car, it is still on the owner's property. Your friend should have walked off the property to have his smoke if the owner restricts smoking on the property. Rules are rules.

Your friend shouldn't have argued. He should have just put the cigerret out and continued on his break or went back to work depending how much time he had left for the break. There are two ways to look at the fact that he went to his car. One, he was in his car which is his own property. So he should have been able to smoke it. So that argument could be said. Two, yes he was in his car but it was on the restaurants property. If you were standing in the parking lot would you be on the property, since you were in your shoes which are yours. I know that might be abit extreme but it's just another way to look at it. Like I said I think your friend was in the wrong and shouldn't have done it. He argued with the boss witch is a big no-no and that mad him mad which got him fired.

the situation as described by you certainly does not appear fair.The smoking inside his own car should definitely be allowed as the car really belonged to your friend.But what can be done?The manager appears to be really extreme.hard luck, what else?