Tag: restaurant
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Court Dismisses Foodborne Illness Suit Against Chipotle
A federal court in Louisiana has dismissed with prejudice a lawsuit alleging that Chipotle Mexican Grill’s food caused the plaintiff to contract Helicobacter pylori, holding that the plaintiff had not pleaded “any semblance of a fact that causally connects [his] illness” with Chipotle. Gilyard v. Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., No. 17-0441 (W.D. La., entered June 14, 2018). The…
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Data Breach Lawsuits Filed, Dismissed and Settled
Brinker International Inc. faces a putative class action alleging hackers stole customers’ personally identifiable information (PII) from point-of-sale systems at Chili’s Grill & Bar in April and May 2018. Steinmetz v. Brinker Int’l, Inc, No. 18-0981 (D. Nev., filed May 30, 2018). The plaintiff seeks damages, an injunction and attorney’s fees for negligence and alleged…
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Fifth Circuit Affirms Viacom’s Ownership of “Krusty Krab” Mark
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has affirmed a ruling that a Texas restaurant, “The Krusty Krab,” infringed Viacom International Inc.’s common law trademark. Viacom Int’l, Inc. v. IJR Capital Invs., No. 17-20334 (5th Cir., entered May 22, 2018). The court held that Viacom had established both use and distinctiveness of the…
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NLRB Allows Firing of Pizzeria Employee Following Criticism of Manager
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ruled that a pizzeria that fired an employee who criticized a manager did not violate the National Labor Relations Act. Bud’s Woodfire Oven LLC, No. 05-194577 (N.L.R.B., issued May 18, 2018). The determination focused on whether the employee acted on his own behalf or engaged in protected concerted…
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Man Sues Burger King After Being Jailed for $10 Bill
Burger King Corp. faces a civil-rights lawsuit after an employee at a Boston location accused a man of trying to pay for food with an allegedly counterfeit $10 bill, refused to return the bill and called the police when the man would not leave the restaurant. Ellis v. Burger King Corp., No. 1884-CV-01489 (Mass. Super. Ct., Suffolk…
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Plaintiff Claims E. Coli Infection From Red Lobster’s Romaine
An Arizona woman has sued Red Lobster Hospitality alleging that she contracted E. coli from eating a salad at a Red Lobster in Phoenix. Styles v. Red Lobster Hospitality, LLC, No. 18-1361 (D. Ariz., filed May 1, 2018). The plaintiff alleged she ate the salad, which contained romaine lettuce, on March 23, 2018, and became ill…
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ASA Upholds Challenge to Pret A Manger’s “Natural” Claims
The U.K. Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld an advocacy group’s challenge to the use of the term “natural” by Pret A Manger but rejected a challenge to the company’s advertising claim that its breads are fresh-baked at each location. Ads on Pret A Manger’s website and Facebook page claimed that the chain makes “handmade natural…
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Panera Failed to Fix Data Breach, Lawsuit Alleges
Panera Bread Co. faces a putative class action alleging that a data breach exposed the personal data of thousands of customers to hackers, increasing their risk of fraud and identity theft. Boykin v. Panera Bread Co., No. 18-2461 (N.D. Ill., filed April 5, 2018). The complaint alleges that the company failed to protect the personally…