Taco Bell challenges Taco John’s ‘Taco Tuesday’ trademark, sparking a legal battle over the popular phrase.

May 18, 2023

Taco Bell seeks to reclaim ‘Taco Tuesday’ for everyone, urging regulators to invalidate Taco John’s trademark claim.

It’s a competition between taco chains.

“Taco Tuesday” was trademarked in 1989 by Taco John’s, which has approximately 400 locations across 23 states.

Now, Taco Bell argues that it ought to be able to use the well-known expression without incurring any legal penalties. On Tuesday, it requested that the trademark be reversed in a petition submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

According to the company’s statement in the filing, “The Registration potentially subjects Taco Bell and anyone else who wants to share tacos with the world to the possibility of legal action or angry letters if they say ‘Taco Tuesday’ without express permission from Registrant – simply for pursuing happiness on a Tuesday.” This abuses an American ideal: ‘ the quest for satisfaction.'”

The business added: To use a common expression, nobody should have exclusive rights. Imagine if we couldn’t say “What’s up” or “Brunch” anymore. Chaos.”

Taco Chime has in excess of 7,200 areas in the U.S. Furthermore, around 1,000 cafés across 30 nations universally.

In light of the request, Taco John’s carried out a fourteen-day long Taco Tuesday bargain offering two tacos for $2.

According to Taco John’s CEO Jim Creel, “I’d like to thank our worthy competitors at Taco Bell for reminding everyone that Taco Tuesday is best celebrated at Taco John’s.”

“When it comes down to it, we’re lovers, not fighters, at Taco John’s,” Creel continued. But when a big, mean bully says that he will take away the mark our ancestors made so many decades ago, that just doesn’t make sense to us. If ‘living más’ means filling the pockets of Taco Ringer’s multitude of legal counselors, we’re not intrigued.”

Gregory Hotel, Inc., which owns a trademark for the phrase in New Jersey, is also the target of Taco Bell’s petition. Taco John’s holds the brand name in all U.S. states with the exception of New Jersey.

“Taco Bell does not seek any damages; Taco Bell stated, “it simply seeks reason and common sense.”

Source – Npr.org

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