Taco Bell is ready to celebrate Taco John’s decision last month to drop its “Taco Tuesday” trademark ownership – with free tacos, of course.
The twist? You don’t have to leave home and you don’t have to order from Taco Bell.
The big celebration comes on Sept. 12, a Taco Tuesday, when Taco Bell and food delivery service DoorDash will put $5 million towards orders from any participating vender selling Mexican food. More details on how the deal works will be revealed in the days ahead, the restaurant chain announced Tuesday.
Between now and then, Taco Bell will give away free seasoned beef Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Tacos on Tuesdays, starting Aug. 15 and including Aug. 22, Aug. 29 and Sept. 5. The offer is good at participating Taco Bell locations and on delivery orders in the Taco Bell app. There is no purchase necessary. The offer is limited to one taco per person per day, while supplies last. Delivery fees, taxes and tip will still apply.
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The trademark tiff over ‘Taco Tuesday’
Taco John’s, based in Cheyenne, Wyoming, owned the trademark registration for “Taco Tuesday” in 49 states for more than 40 years; another business called Gregory’s owns it in New Jersey, according to Taco Bell. If a restaurant or company legally wanted to use “Taco Tuesday” in their branding or advertising, they previously had to obtain permission from Taco John’s.
Taco Bell launched a petition in April asking Taco John’s to release the trademark of “Taco Tuesday”, because the fast-food chain wanted the phrase to be free to use by anyone “to make, sell, eat, and celebrate tacos.” Then in May, Taco Bell appealed to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, part of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, to cancel Taco John’s trademark registration.
Last month, Taco John’s agreed to abandon its trademark for the phrase. “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,” said Taco John’s CEO Jim Creel at the time in a statement.
The company also donated $40,000 donation to the non-profit organization Children of Restaurant Employees, which supports restaurant workers with children in need.
In response, Taco Bell committed to donating $1 million in partnership with the Taco Bell Foundation, which provides scholarships for employees and supports non-profit groups in communities.
Taco Bell’s free taco promotion not only serves as a “Thank You” to those who supported the “Free Taco Tuesday” effort (including LeBron James) but also spotlights “local restaurants and vendors who can now embrace Taco Tuesdays without fear of legal action,” said Taco Bell U.S. chief marketing officer Taylor Montgomery in a statement. “We all win when Taco John’s decides to release its trademark registration, we all win when taco vendors everywhere are free to join the movement, and we all win when taco fans can freely celebrate and support Taco Tuesdays at Taco Bell or anywhere else.”
Contributing: Doc Louallen and Jessica Guynn.
Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider &mikegsnider.
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