Taco Bell Hit With False Advertising Lawsuit Over Crunchwraps and Mexican Pizzas
Taco Bell hit with $5M lawsuit alleging false advertising.
If you've ever seen a food advertisement and gotten immeasurably disappointed after ordering the real-life item, you're definitely not alone. In fact, a new class-action lawsuit has been filed against Taco Bell alleging deceptive advertising with two of the chain's most popular items. Filed in a Brooklyn federal court on Monday, New York resident Frank Siragusa accuses the taco joint of misleading advertising regarding its Mexican Pizza and Crunchwrap Supreme line. According to Siragusa, Taco Bell advertisements show a dramatically increased amount of ingredients in its items than what's actually put into the pizza and Crunchwraps in-store.
"Taco Bell materially overstates the amount of beef and/or ingredients contained in its advertisements for the Overstated Menu Items by at least double the amount," the lawsuit reads.
The lawsuit seeks $5 million in damages for New Yorkers who've eaten at the chain, only to be misled by its advertising.
"Taco Bell's advertisements for the Overstated Menu Items are unfair and financially damaging to consumers as they are receiving a product that is materially lower in value than what is being promised," the lawsuit adds. "Taco Bell advertises larger portions of food to steer consumers to their restaurants for their meals and away from competitors that more fairly advertise the size of their menu items, unfairly diverting millions of dollars in sales that would have gone to competitors."
Taco Bell has yet to comment on the matter.
Though the Crunchwrap Supreme has been a staple on Taco Bell menus since its inception in 2005, the Mexican Pizza has had a tumultuous run with the national chain. It once found itself as a staple, but was removed from the menu at the height of the pandemic in the name of efficiency. Now, Mexican Pizzas are once again a permanent item after a massive fan campaign to restore it to the menu.
"Our menu is full of fan-favorites, but the Mexican Pizza is at the top of that list," Taco Bell CEO Mark King said in a press release announcing the return last year. "From its flashy introduction to menus in 1985 as 'Pizzazz Pizza' to its inspiration behind the creation of infamous jingles, Mexican Pizza has a long history with the brand and I'm glad we could give fans what they crave and bring our classic Mexican Pizza back home where it belongs."