Call us crazy, but we like to believe that what it says on the packet is what we’re getting inside. The same went for a woman from Illinois who decided to sue TGI Fridays for what she claimed was misleading packaging.
Fans of mozzarella sticks rejoiced when the restaurant chain released its frozen version in stores, but Amy Joseph was not one of them. According to the description, TGI Fridays Mozzarella Snack Sticks “are made with real mozzarella cheese that is coated with a crispy, garlic-seasoned panko breading and served with a zesty marinara dipping sauce.” But apparently, that isn’t true.
Joseph filed a lawsuit against Inventure Foods Inc. and TGI Fridays Inc. last February, stating that the appetizers contain cheddar cheese, not mozzarella, and thus the packaging is misleading. The suit alleges that the defendants are in violation of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
A Chicago federal judge has now ruled that the matter can move forward against Inventure Foods, but not TGI Fridays, as the restaurant did not actually manufacture the frozen snacks.
Joseph’s attorney has confirmed that the case will proceed as a nationwide class action lawsuit.
