‘Unfair and deceptive’: Taco Bell sued over cult-favorite menu item as plaintiff claims false advertising

Esto no bueno.

A New Yorker filed a class-action lawsuit against Taco Bell, accusing the fast-food chain of falsely advertising its fillings.

Frank Siragusa was lured to the Bell to “live mas” last September by images of the brand’s Mexican Pizza.

However, according to Siragusa, the $5.49 fan favorite contained only about half the meat and beans advertised in-store and online.

According to the lawsuit, other popular Taco Bell menu items, including the Crunchwrap Supreme, Grande Crunchwrap, and Veggie Mexican Pizza, have similarly exaggerated the amount of filling in advertisements by “at least double the amount.”

To support his claims of “unfair and deceptive” practices, Siragusa included side-by-side photographs showing the disparity between advertised meals and the substantially smaller items served to customers— misrepresentations the suit argues are even more critical amidst inflating food prices.

“Meat prices are very high and many consumers, especially lower-income consumers, are struggling financially,” Siragusa’s attorneys stated in the suit.

Siragusa is suing Taco Bell for $5 million on behalf of customers impacted by false advertising.

Siragusa’s lawyers, James Kelly and Anthony Russo, previously filed a lawsuit against Burger King, alleging the fast-food giant engaged in false advertising by overstating the size of its Whoppers. That case went to mediation and later reached an impasse.

The latest lawsuit comes at the tail end of a tough summer for Taco Bell.

In July, shredded iceberg lettuce supplied to the fast food chain by Salinas-based Taylor Farms was linked to the outbreak of cyclosporiasis, which causes explosive diarrhea, vomiting, and bloating among other debilitating symptoms.

“The health and safety of our guests is our top priority,” Taco Bell Corp. said, adding that it “voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure.”

Two residents of Michigan, which saw more than 11,000 cyclosporiasis cases,  died from the food-borne sickness. 

Victims of the stomach-churning condition could recover anywhere from $20,000 to $1 million, depending on the severity of their case, according to attorneys seeking legal action against Taco Bell. A death could garner a seven-figure settlement. 

Meanwhile, the beans Siragusa claims were meager in his meal became the focus of online controversy after an employee exposed the restaurant chain’s questionable bean-preparation practices.

Visuals of the controversial food prep, shared via @ItzSleepyPanz, show a kitchen employee dumping warm water onto brown, dehydrated, stringy scraps, allegedly stirring the blend into Taco Bell’s refried beans.

The eye-popping post has amassed over 13 million views from divided digital audiences worldwide.