Taco Bell Files Petition , to End ‘Taco Tuesday’ Trademark.
Smaller restaurant chain Taco John's trademarked "Taco Tuesday" in 1989, NPR reports. .
On May 16, Taco Bell petitioned the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to reverse the trademark so that it can use the phrase without legal ramifications.
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, Taco Bell, via petition.
This violates an American ideal: 'the pursuit of happiness.', Taco Bell, via petition.
Nobody should have exclusive
rights in a common phrase. Can you imagine if we weren't allowed to say 'what's up' or 'brunch?' Chaos, Taco Bell, via petition.
Jim Creel, Taco John's CEO, issued a statement.
​​I'd like to thank our worthy
competitors at Taco Bell for reminding everyone that Taco Tuesday is best celebrated at Taco John's, Jim Creel, Taco John's CEO, via statement.
When it comes right
down to it, we're lovers, not fighters, at Taco John's. , Jim Creel, Taco John's CEO, via statement.
But when a big, bad bully
threatens to take away the mark our forefathers originated so many decades ago, well, that just rings hollow to us. If 'living más' means filling the pockets of Taco Bell's army of lawyers, we're not interested, Jim Creel, Taco John's CEO, via statement.
NPR reports that Taco John's "has about 400 locations
in 23 states," while Taco Bell has over 7,200 U.S.
locations and "1,000 restaurants across 30 countries."