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Taco Bell wins trademark dispute with rival Taco John’s

Taco John will be abandoning Taco Tuesday trademark across 49 states in the US.

Umesh Ellichipuram July 19 2023

Mexican-inspired quick service restaurant brand Taco Bell has won the “Taco Tuesday” trademark dispute with Taco John's.

In May this year, Taco Bell filed a petition with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to cancel the Taco John's ‘Taco Tuesday’ trademark, Reuters reported.

The company claimed that it has the right to use the “Taco Tuesday” across the US except New Jersey.

Taco Bell in its filing with USPTO called it a common phrase, that Taco John's had monopolised unfairly, according to the news agency.

Taco John reportedly told USPTO that it is abandoning “Taco Tuesday” phrase across 49 states in the US as it is not willing to pay the legal fees that come with a fight against Taco Bell, according to CNN report

Taco John's CEO Jim Creel said: “We've always prided ourselves on being the home of Taco Tuesday, but paying millions of dollars to lawyers to defend our mark just doesn't feel like the right thing to do.

“As we've said before, we're lovers, not fighters, at Taco John's. So in that spirit, we have decided to begin sharing Taco Tuesday with a pledge to contribute $100 per location in our system to restaurant employees with children who are battling a health crisis, death or natural disaster.

“And we're challenging our litigious competitors and other taco-loving brands to join us in supporting the people who serve our favourite food to guests across the nation.”

Taco John's also announced a donation of $40,000 to the non-profit organization Children of Restaurant Employees (CORE).

CORE executive director Sheila Bennett said: “We are incredibly grateful to everyone at Taco John's for making this generous donation to CORE, which will benefit so many restaurant families in their darkest hours.

“And we welcome the support of other brands that are looking forward to celebrating Taco Tuesday, because the need is great. In fact, this year alone, 75% of grantees are single parents, mostly moms.”

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