Beef Briefs Bizarre Fast-Food Legal Battles 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.
Beef-A-Roo Franchisee Off to a Fast Start Former Flight Attendant Finds a New Crew
One fact often overlooked about teenage jobs at burger chains is that many kids actually like them — a lot.
Amanda Brown of Rose City, Michigan, says she had a great experience working at McDonald’s for 1 1/2 years as a teenager before launching a 12-year professional career as a flight attendant. While she loved working for airlines, she decided before giving birth to her first child at age 35 that she needed a more down-to-earth occupation. Brown puzzled over her next steps, wondering, “Which road am I going to take, now that I’m not into flying?” she told Nation’s Restaurant News. Her small hometown offered few jobs. Recalling how much she enjoyed working at a McDonald’s store in a nearby town as a teenager, Brown returned to the same restaurant. Although her family questioned her decision at first, Brown says she liked being busy. As it turned out, that fast-food job was “the start of me really winning in this business.” To reduce her commute, Brown applied to train at a Beef-A-Roo location in Rose City. Beef-A-Roo operates both brick-and- mortar restaurants and 800-square-foot drive-thru-only shipping container models, and Brown liked the novelty and economy of the container space. She started training at Beef-A-Roo and quickly rose to assistant general manager, then general manager. Her customer and manager reviews were so positive that she soon became a franchise owner. Industry sources have recognized Beef-A-Roo, founded in 1967 in Rockford, Illinois, as a promising brand. Next Brands acquired the franchising rights for Beef-A-Roo in 2021 and is actively seeking other franchise partners. Brown has created grassroots promotions, such as giving out free shakes at a local charter high school fundraiser. She is excited by the opportunities she sees in franchising. During a meeting with a Beef-A-Roo owner, he asked if she’d like to open one new restaurant a year for the next five years. Her response? “Heck yeah!” Brown plans to stay with the chain, adding, “I think we make a great team.”
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