Is seeing always believing? Well, plaintiffs in two of the oddest legal cases in recent years set out to show the world that what ends up on our trays or in our drive-thru bags may not be as scrumptious as fast-food joints promise in their ads.
A Clash With Burger King
Readers of a certain age may remember Wendy’s famous “Where’s the Beef?” campaign that brilliantly marketed the quantity of meat in its burgers compared to those other popular fast-food restaurants sold.
Decades later, a New York resident launched a one-man mission to prove that one of Burger King’s modern-day competitors, Taco Bell, failed to heed the burger giant’s lead.
In the summer of 2023, Frank Siragusa filed a class action suit against Taco Bell, alleging the company had “materially overstate[d] the amount of beef and/or ingredients” in its advertising for its Mexican Pizza and Crunchwrap menu items. Siragusa’s suit includes photographic evidence comparing the robust size of the advertised products versus the actual ones he purchased. While the case was ongoing as of this writing, Siragusa’s love for fast-food beef cannot be disputed.
A Vegan Vendetta Vanquished
Although only 3% of the adult population in the U.S. identified as vegan, according to research presented by the Vegetarian Resource Group in 2022, people who refuse to eat any animal-derived products remain a passionate and vocal minority. In 2019, a vegan named Philip Williams took Burger King to court after learning that the patty in his Impossible Whopper — marketed as a meat-free alternative to the popular burger — had been cooked on the same grill as beef products.
In his suit, Williams argued that because Burger King had added a plant-based meal option to its menu, consumers were led to believe the meal would be prepared separately from the animal-based items in the kitchen. The judge disagreed, later dismissing the case and noting that Burger King’s marketing of the Impossible Burger promised only a meatless patty and nothing more. The lesson learned? Sometimes, even in the world of fast food, what you see is what you get.
