On any given Friday night, the Taco Bell on Kirkwood Road satisfies starving teenagers short on cash. A recent false-advertising lawsuit filed against the fast-food chain, however, has inspired many to stop thinking outside the bun and start looking inside their chalupa.

The accusations, filed by Alabama attorney W. Daniel D. Miles III, claim Taco Bell is misleading its customers by calling its meat “seasoned ground beef.” Instead, the law office suggests the company advertise the contents of tacos and burritos as “meat filling” which, they say, would more appropriately describe the product. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines “meat filling” as a product with at least 40 percent fresh meat. Yet even with a USDA inspection, only direct meat manufacturers are required to label their beef under the “meat filling” title. How Taco Bell chooses to advertise a Beefy Five-Layer Burrito is entirely up to the company.

Despite allegations of its meat being tested as containing only 35 percent real beef by the law office’s personal research lab, Taco Bell is fighting back.
According to a press release on Taco Bell’s website, “The lawsuit filed against us is completely bogus and filled with inaccurate facts.” The statement also claims their meat is “88 percent quality USDA-inspected beef and 12 percent seasonings, spices, water and other ingredients that provide taste, texture and moisture.”
With the law firm refusing to officially release its findings, Taco Bell provided a complete list of ingredients found in the beef on its website. Regardless of the official percentage of “seasoned ground beef,” to students, the number hardly makes a difference.

“I think the [percentage] is way lower,” Jake Horton, sophomore, said, “but I don’t think teenagers care.”

Horton, who eats at Taco Bell at least three times a week on average, does not feel surprised about the allegations that the beef is not high quality. Along with many of his other taco-eating classmates, he knew what he was biting into.

“People don’t really care what’s in the meat,” Hannah Kacerovskis, junior, said. “People don’t care what’s in their food as long as it tastes good.”

Besides the cheesy, crunchy and spicy flavor of Taco Bell products, low prices and a drive-thru open until 3 a.m. keep students coming back every weekend. For the low price of $5 plus tax, a hungry Pioneer can purchase a chicken flatbread sandwich, a hard taco, a burrito, cinnamon twists and a medium drink.

“As long as it tastes really good I’ll probably still eat it,” Kate Hunt, senior said. “It tastes like real meat.”