Taco Bell Faces Lawsuit Over False Advertising in Crunchwraps and Mexican Pizzas
On Monday, an unsatisfied customer filed a lawsuit against Taco Bell, alleging in a proposed class-action complaint that the restaurant chain misrepresented the quantity of food in the Mexican Pizza, Crunchwrap Supreme, and other menu items.
According to a class-action lawsuit filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York by Frank Siragusa on behalf of himself and other consumers who were dissatisfied with the quantity of filling in Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza items and Crunchwraps. Siragusa accuses Taco Bell of “unfair and materially misleading advertising” and is seeking in excess of $5 million from the chain for alleged violations of a law prohibiting discriminatory and deceptive business practices.
According to the complaint, “The Mexican Pizza that Plaintiff purchased contained approximately half the beef and bean filling that he expected,” The lawsuit contains images used by Taco Bell in its advertisements as well as images of the actual items taken by customers, which appear unattractive in comparison to the company’s images.
Deceptive Portion Size Lawsuit Targets Taco Bell’s Advertising Claims
The lawsuit claims that Siragusa and others would not have purchased the Crunchwraps and pizzas if they had known they would be receiving smaller portions than those depicted. In addition to requesting compensation for those who purchased the products, the lawsuit also requests that Taco Bell “provide corrected advertisements” or cease selling them.
Last year, one of Siragusa’s attorneys, Anthony Russo, represented a Burger King consumer in Florida in a similar lawsuit. In this filing, a man who had purchased a burger from the chain complained that the chain made its burgers appear much beefier than they actually were. In an interview with The Washington Post last year, Russo stated, “Little situations — what some would consider to be a little situation like this — could lead to unfettered behavior from big corporations,”.
Similar allegations made by the media and YouTube reviewers about Taco Bell’s offerings were included in the lawsuit filed this week. According to an article on the food website Mashed.com titled “Why Reddit Is Calling Out Taco Bell’s Skimpy Crunchwraps,” multiple customers have complained about the popular menu item, which consists of a crisp tortilla loaded with seasoned beef, nacho cheese, and other garnishes.
The Mexican pizza, which consists of two crunchy tortillas encasing a meaty filling and is garnished with cheese and other accoutrements, is a fan-favorite item that Taco Bell reinstated on its menu last year after receiving backlash for announcing that it would be discontinued in 2020. The chain promoted the revival with a TikTok musical starring Dolly Parton and Doja Cat.
Taco John’s possessed the copyright to the phrase “Taco Tuesday” in the majority of the United States. Taco John’s stated that it was relinquishing control over the name in lieu of incurring legal fees in a dispute with its larger competitor.
Read Also: Breaking Ground: Recreational Marijuana Seeds Now on Sale as of August 1
Source: The Washington Post, Forbes
