Taco Bell, Where’s the Beef?
We have all heard that Taco Bell is known for their lower quality “beef” over the years. Yet, millions of Americans each week continue to go and buy tacos, burritos, and nachos from Taco Bell. In their commercials, Taco Bell claims that their seasoned beef is delicious and that their prices are low. But what makes their prices so low? A closer look at what their “beef” really is may show why.
The USDA has set a standard on what can legally be called beef in the United States. It is federally regulated that beef must be made of at least 70% beef to be legally called beef. An Alabama law firm has filed a lawsuit against Taco Bell in California, saying that they advertise their product as beef. The law firm says that they have done tests that have determined the Taco Bell beef to be only 35% beef and 65% filler. Taco Bell refutes this lawsuit, claiming that their meat is 88% beef and 12% filler
Throughout this lawsuit, Taco Bell has stood by the quality of their meat. Workers state that some of the more displeasing ingredients used in their recipe seem that way only because of the name given to them by the producers, the actual content is completely harmless and can be found in most grocery stores. Finally, Taco Bell has never hidden what ingredients go into their recipe. That information has always been available to the public; this is just the first time that the meat has been tested to reveal the actual levels of each ingredient.
We have all heard the rumors about Taco Bell, but these tests are putting actual numbers to these rumors. After reading the article, would you still eat at Taco Bell? Has this changed your opinion about Taco Bell and possibly other fast food restaurants? Should Taco Bell advertise more about the types of fillers they use? And should Taco Bell be obligated to improve the quality of their beef?
This article may help answer the discussion questions.