Taco Bell “Taco Tuesday” trademark controversy explored as fast-food giant settles dispute with a truce

Taco Bell's "Liberation Of Taco Tuesday" campaign finally comes to a fruitful end after Taco John's abandons the trademark in 49 states. The trademark that had been owned by Taco John's ever since 1989 is now available for free use all across the United States, except for New Jersey.

Taco Bell's "Liberation of Taco Tuesday" campaign began in May after the chain filed a petition with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) seeking the federal agency to get rid of the trademark. As per Taco Bell's claims, the chain did not want to win over the trademark but wanted it to be available for use by every small business or restaurant that made, sold, or shared the love for Tacos.

The trademarks to the Taco Tuesday phrase have been owned by a small business restaurant and Taco John's for more than three decades (Image via Alex Tai / SOPA Images / LightRocket / Getty Images)

Taco Bell went all out for the campaign that ran for over two months and turned it into a full-fledged marketing fiasco engaging Taco fans all across the country. The fast food restaurant chain also roped in some celeb support as it got the Lakers star Lebron James to take part in an exclusive commercial for the campaign.

The commercial was aimed at engaging people to sign petitions to free the trademark and has received more than 24,500 signatures.

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Taco John's has abandoned the rights to the "Taco Tuesday" trademark in 49 states

The "Taco Tuesday" trademark that had been owned by Taco John's in over 49 states for the last three decades is finally available for free use in the public domain, and the credit goes to Taco Bell. After over two months of continuous marketing campaigns roping in support from Taco fans across the country, Taco Bell finally managed to have Taco John's give up its rights to the trademark in 49 states.

While the trademark is still owned by a small business restaurant in New Jersey, it can be used in the rest of the 49 states without any legal repercussions. From small businesses to multinational fast food businesses across the country, the "Taco Tuesday" phrase can now be used by everyone who makes, sells, promotes, or wishes to share their love for Tacos on a Tuesday.

Taco Bell prevails with its campaign to liberate Taco Tuesday after Taco John's agrees to abandon the rights to the phrase in 49 states (Image via Albertc111 / Getty Images / Taco Bell)

After defending the trademark against its competitors for over three decades, Taco John's finally decided to give it up as it told the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) about the same this week. As per Jim Creel, the Chief Executive Officer of Taco John's, defending the trademark by paying millions of dollars to lawyers didn't seem like the right thing to do.

Jim Creel also said that instead of paying the money to the lawyers, the Wyoming-based fast food chain would donate over $40,000 to a nonprofit group called Children of Restaurant Employees. The fast-food restaurant chain will be donating over $100 for each of its 400 locations to the nonprofit organization that supports restaurant workers in need. The chain also took a sweet dig at Taco Bell by asking them to do the same.