Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza Draws National Attention After Lawsuit Targets False Advertising

The Gist:

• The Taco Bell Mexican Pizza lawsuit began in 2023.
• New York resident Frank Siragusa noticed his pizza didn’t look as filling as the photos he’d seen in advertisements.
• Lawyers James Kelly and Anthony Russo are helping him file the suit.
• Taco Bell customers could potentially receive money from this lawsuit.

Taco Bell is one of the most beloved American fast-food chains. You can even order plant-based food if you’re a vegan, like the spicy goodness of the Beyond Carne Asada or the Veggie version of the Power Menu Bowl. You’ve likely noticed the Mexican Pizza option on the menu, since the item drew national attention after a series of complaints went viral and caused the Taco Bell Mexican Pizza lawsuit.

Check out everything you need to know about the case to understand the menu item’s potential future. There’s much to catch up on, so let’s jump into it.

As reported by The Dallas Morning News, in 2023, a man named Frank Siragusa saw Taco Bell advertisements, and felt inspired to try the Mexican Pizza. The fan-favorite pizza is made with a layer of ground beef spread between two pizza shells, along with sauce, cheese, and tomatoes.

When Siragusa picked up his order, the pizza was notably thinner than the pictures he’d seen in advertisements. He felt tricked into getting a less-filling meal, and read Reddit posts where other people discussed how their meals lacked ingredients they thought the restaurant promised. Their orders tasted just as delicious, but weren’t as filling.

According to the paperwork filed with the U.S. district court for the Eastern District of New York, Siragusa’s class action lawsuit alleges that Taco Bell falsely advertised the amount of ingredients and beef in the pizza, as well as a few other menu options. It specifically names items including:

• Crunchwrap Supremes

• Vegan Crunchwraps

• Mexican Pizzas

• Grande Cruchwraps

• Veggie Mexican Pizzas.

The documentation includes photos of the advertisements compared to the food customers had received. It cites the rising cost of inflation for consumers who are paying more for the same menu items but receive less food. The lawsuit supports consumers while pushing for the pizza to stay available in more advertisement-accurate ways.

The lawsuit requests $5 million for Taco Bell customers who bought the listed menu items between July 2020 and whenever a judge ends the case. The only customers who could receive part of the money would be those who purchased the food in New York during that period.

Taco Bell’s menu items included in the lawsuit will continue to remain available in Taco Bell locations. If this lawsuit makes the company add more ingredients into five named meals, you can look forward to enjoying juicer, more filling versions of the food you already love.

Taco Bell strives to bring innovative and ever-changing menu options to its customers, and the fast food chain has rolled out a number of exciting vegan menu items in recent years. Hopefully even more are on the way!