Pressured by Taco Bell to drop its trademark on the term "Taco Tuesday", a New Jersey restauranter did so this week. CBC News wrote that his was the last outstanding registration on the commonplace term, after Taco John's gave up their similar trademark last year. This means that any restaurant or truck—including Taco Bell, obviously—can say they're having a taco tuesday without fear of legal repercussions.
"Taco Tuesday has always been a source of pride for my family and our restaurant, but we recognize Taco Tuesday is widely celebrated and embraced beyond our four walls," Gregory said in a Taco Bell press release. It's a dramatic about-face for Gregory, who told As It Happens in August that he would fight to hang onto the trademark for as long as possible, so he could one day hand it over to his grandson.
The phrase should certainly not be registered as a trademark, but it being liberated at corporate gunpoint is not very appetizing.
I like that the owner's name is "Gregory Gregory" and would accept nothing less than the capital required to fund a new taco chain named "Recursive Gregorys."
