If Taco Bell’s beef is 88 percent ground beef and 12 percent secret recipe, can it still be called ground beef? The Yum Brand says yes, and is running a full-page “Thank You For Suing Us” ad today in USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, and New York Times responding to a lawsuit accusing the fast-food chain of not meeting USDA standards for marketing its meat.
According to the lawsuit against Taco Bell, lab results showed the company’s ground beef contained only 35% actual ground beef (gross, if it’s true), a claim Taco Bell’s president Greg Creed tells CNNMoney “falsely tarnished” his company’s reputation. Aside from defending the beef’s recipe and stating that “plain ground beef tastes boring,” the ad promises a counter-suit for damages done to the company’s reputation.
It goes without saying that we expect nothing but quality from our Taco Bell $5 Big Box. If we can’t have it, we might as well just skip ethnic foods altogether and head over to McDonald’s instead. For the interested parties, what does Taco Bell say makes up that additional 12 percent of “secret recipe?” They fast-food chain tells us,”Water to keep it juicy and moist (3 percent). Mix in Mexican spices and flavors including salt, chili pepper, onion powder, tomato powder, sugar, garlic powder and cocoa powder (4 percent). Combine a little oats, caramelized sugar, yeast, citric acid and other ingredients that contribute to the flavor, moisture, consistency and quality of our seasoned beef.” Now, who’s hungry?