Taco Bell demands lawsuit apology in full-page ad
Contrary to popular sentiment, revenge may be a dish best served in a warm flour tortilla.
You no doubt heard of January’s lawsuit against Taco Bell, which alleged the fast food giant’s “seasoned beef” wasn’t really beef at all, rather a “meat filling” that contained less than 50 per cent beef. Of course you did, it was all over the newspapers, blogs and late-night talk shows.
But what you might not have heard was the far lesser-reported dropping of the lawsuit last week, after Taco Bell stood its ground for months and waged a pricey marketing campaign aimed at defending itself. And now, damnit, the Mexican food chain wants an apology.
Indeed, the world is far less abuzz with coverage of the dropped Taco Bell lawsuit (the restaurant proved its meat is really 88 per cent beef and 12 per cent “signature recipe,” which can be viewed on their website) so the Yum! Brands subsidiary has decided to get personal.
Taco Bell recently took out the giant ad you see to your left (click here for finer print), a full-page slam that ran in the Wall Street Journal, LA Times and New York Times. According to some sources, the restaurant may also place them in more local papers, in both English and Spanish.
“Would it kill you to say you’re sorry?” the ad reads, calling out in no specific terms the Alabama law firm that originally filed the beef suit. “We didn’t change our marketing or product disclosures (after the suit) because we’ve already been completely transparent … As for the lawyers who brought this suit: You got it wrong, and you’re probably feeling pretty bad right about now.”
A jilted refrain, sure, but so it goes for a major company in today’s age of scepticism. With the public temperature as it is now for corporations, anyone can sue or allege whatever they want with little repercussion.
But when such a lawsuit gets international attention like Taco Bell’s did, we’re talking real damage here. The restaurant admitted it had to spend millions defending itself these past months, and even that may not have fully worked: according to Taco Bell’s chief financial officer, sales slumped – and have not yet rebounded – following the suit.
So it’s with that we offer a little bit of kudos to Taco Bell, the Goliath that should be applauded for swatting away David. In this case, where it appears such slanderous claims were baseless, it’s a little refreshing for Taco Bell, which has also released a video asking for an apology on YouTube, to show that it can hurt, too.
As Slate writer Jack Shafer said of Arianna Huffington, who is being sued for $105 million in a “bunk” claim by former Huffington Post employees, perhaps the U.S. is turning into a “nation of Winklevosses," who "file legal motion after legal motion every time a pot of money is spotted.”
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
*Follow Jason on Twitter here. Image courtesy: Eater.com.
Posted by: Angie | Apr 25, 2021 4:04:50 PM
The only thing we come into this world with is our good name.
Posted by: Steve | Apr 25, 2021 6:57:05 PM
I can see the appology ad now "we were wrong, Taco Bell does contain at least enough cattle product so that it can legally be called beef, Kudo's Taco Bell on winning a lawsuit proving that your product does 'technically' qualify as beef, 'in America' "
Posted by: Chip | Apr 25, 2021 10:53:13 PM
Atta boy Steve... stick to your guns and keep eating da Sloppy Joes and Spam outta da can !! Or maybe ya can visit Mexico and see what "they" really put in "their" tacos.
Posted by: linda oberg | Apr 26, 2021 2:32:31 AM
I like taco bell....minus the salt. I noticed recently that their mashed potatoes were extremely salty. They must be buying institutional bulk powdered mashed potatoes because that is what seems to flow through the food carts in some hospitals here. I consider it a waste of food or an attempt at coronary sabatoge. People just don't get it. Taco Bell wants to sue.....? They should try tasting the food they serve to customers and then count the currency scammed for the love of salt.
Posted by: Todd | Apr 26, 2021 8:28:48 AM
Ever since the law suit Taco Bell has changed the beef used in it's Taco's I have noticed that the product they now use no longer resembles baby poop, and acutally looks like real beef!
Posted by: Stuart | Apr 26, 2021 8:55:59 AM
No one seems to be mentioning the chemicals in the 12% secret sauce. For more details on these ingredients and how bad they are for you, go to: http://www.ktradionetwork.com
Posted by: Sarg | Apr 26, 2021 11:46:08 AM
Two thumbs up to Taco Bell. All the TB haters (Steve? Todd? You paying attention?) need to choke just a bit. Not enough to die. But juuuuust a weensy bit. Juuuuust enough to shut their ignorant holes.
Posted by: Hazmaniac | Apr 26, 2021 2:29:43 PM
Sarg you seem to have the ignorant hole, even if you are a fan of taco bell you can't dispute the meat they use is nothing like the texture of ground beef. Also for the average cousumer really is this a topic worth fighting over, I am involved because someone took other comments personal. Sad really, eat whatever you like, but if you say their meat is like real ground beef you need to be educated.
Posted by: Steve | Apr 26, 2021 5:28:41 PM
It is slightly amusing that when I mock the 'standards' set by the USDA for the quality of products that some people feed to their children and show how a fitting apology might be worded rabid supporters of Taco Bell appear.
Do they not also marvel at the fact that Taco Bell can pay for 2+ minimum wage employee's, a purpose built building, electricity, taxes, insurance, heating, TV/Radio/internet/Newsprint/Magazine advertising AND delivered Product from an $0.89 Taco?
I think Jesus must work in the fast food industry. How else could these companies get so much beef for their products when ONE decent uncooked steak costs $15+ at the grocery store??
2 fishes 5 loafs of bread must have just been his warm up act.
PS Yes, Jesus was included just to appeal to the "grass roots" crowd.
Posted by: Glen | Apr 26, 2021 7:10:47 PM
Meat paste is meat paste. I don't give a cow's azz what they say it is. I made it a rule that if I can't identify the part the meat came from on the animal then walk away, quickly! Anything that is processed, shredded and either reglued or expelled from a machine into a mold is no longer really meat. Would you mistake aresol cheese to be a fine well aged cheddar???
Posted by: Jack | Apr 26, 2021 7:49:39 PM
Someone ought to tell Jack Shafer the plural of "Winklevoss" is "Winklevii" ( see "Popular culture" section at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyler_Winklevoss ), THEY had a LEGITIMATE claim and the U.S. has been a nation of spurious litigators for decades.
I don't care for tacos and my cardiologist tells me I shouldn't eat beef but I'm dining at Taco Bell to-night; people with that much class deserve to be supported; hell, they deserve to be Canadian. I'll have to run this by the rest of the gang but what say you give us Taco Bell and we'll give you Stephen Harper, the entire Conservative Party and, as an added incentive, we'll return Michael Ignatieff. Much as we'd like you to act now, this is not a time limited offer.
Posted by: peggy | Apr 28, 2021 9:31:36 AM
Whatever negative you can say aboput Taco Bell. They deserve an apology, if their food is too salty or whatever, no one force you to eat it. Considering the price you pay for those items, you are lucky to get 50% beef, you should appreciate that you are getting 88%. I dont eat it all the time but it think is nice once in a while. Those who complain may want to try some home cooking for that price.
Posted by: SP | Apr 29, 2021 1:40:39 PM
Some of us who complain don't eat there but are trying to protect the future generation from sub standard products that their parents foolishly feed them. A healthy child is a benefit to all of society, an ill child and family is less of a benefit.
Posted by: Kenn Duncan | May 23, 2021 8:15:49 PM
Your Wish Is Your Command is a course sold by Kevin Trudeau. No one can say that he is not a compelling salesman and his infomercials hawking various products are legendary. This latest product targets the natural desire for wealth that most people obsess about while also pushing conspiracy theories that blame "secret societies" for keeping the secret of wealth and prosperity from the masses.Your Wish Is Your Command