TGI Fridays Mozzarella Sticks Don’t Contain Mozzarella, Class Action Lawsuit Claims

A recent false advertising class action lawsuit contends TGI Fridays Mozzarella Sticks do not actually contain mozzarella cheese, despite label representations.

Plaintiff Megan Nason says TGI Fridays Mozzarella Sticks do not actually contain mozzarella cheese, instead, the products contain cheddar.

Due to this, Nason claims that the products cannot be advertised as “Mozzarella Sticks Snacks.” Instead, she says the products could be referred to as “cornmeal snacks, artificially flavored mozzarella.”

“Though the Product’s front label states ‘Natural and Artificially Flavored,’ no reasonable consumer will expect this statement means they should not expect any mozzarella cheese,” Nason contends in her false advertising class action lawsuit.

“This is not a situation where a consumer cannot expect any cheese in the Product since snack foods often contain cheese as an ingredient and the Product contains cheese, just not the one advertised on its label.”

Mozzarella cheese is reportedly known for its mild taste and stringy texture — two qualities consumers want in their mozzarella sticks. In contrast to mozzarella, Nason says the cheddar found in TGI Fridays Mozzarella Sticks is a “hard” cheese that lacks the distinctive flavor of mozzarella.

To make matter worse, cheddar is reportedly far less nutritious than mozzarella cheese. Although both cheeses are high in protein, mozzarella reportedly contains more calcium, less fat and fewer calories than cheddar.

According to Nason, she and other consumers were willing to pay a higher price for TGI Fridays Mozzarella Sticks based on representations that the products contained real mozzarella. Due to the lack of mozzarella in TGI Fridays Mozzarella Sticks, Nason says she and other consumers overpaid for the products.

The plaintiff argues that the manufacturer knows consumers are willing to pay a higher price for what they perceive as real mozzarella cheese. In order to deceive, mislead and defraud customers, Inventure Foods Inc. allegedly chose to market its product in a deceptive way.

As a result of this conduct, the manufacturer was reportedly able to sell more of the product for a higher price than it otherwise would have.

“Had plaintiff and class members known the truth, they would not have bought the Product or would have paid less for them,” Nason maintains.

Nason seeks to represent a Class of consumers who purchased TGI Fridays Mozzarella Sticks in New York.

On behalf of herself and this proposed Class, Nason seeks injunctive relief, monetary damages, restitution, disgorgement, interest, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

The TGI Fridays Mozzarella Sticks class action lawsuit includes claims of negligent misrepresentation, fraud, unjust enrichment, breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty of merchantability, violation of New York consumer protection laws and violation of the federal Magnuson Moss Warranty Act.

False advertising is a serious issue for food products, supplements and other items. Consumers rely on product advertisements when making purchasing decisions.

If they have been forced to rely on false or misleading representations, consumers may have been financially injured. As a result, numerous false advertising lawsuits have been filed against manufacturers.

In late November, consumers filed a class action lawsuit against Procter & Gamble, challenging the company’s marketing of its Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion products. According to the plaintiff, these products are not actually from “nature.” Instead, the hair care products are allegedly full of synthetic ingredients.

Earlier in November, Monster Energy Co. was hit with a false advertising class action lawsuit from a consumer who claimed the products are falsely advertised as French vanilla flavored. The plaintiff contends Monster Java 300 products are explicitly represented as French vanilla flavored. Despite these representations, the drinks allegedly do not taste like vanilla and reportedly do not contain vanilla beans.

Toddler products have also been targeted by false advertising class action lawsuits. Target, Gerber and Mead Johnson & CO each faced false ad class action lawsuits over their Up & Up, Gerber Good Start Grow Stage 3 and Enfragrow Premium Toddler Transitions formulas. These formulas are allegedly marketed as “transition” items for toddlers. However, these formulas allegedly fail to adhere to the same strict standards as those maintained for infant formula.

Did you purchase TGI Fridays Mozzarella Sticks? Did you think the product contained real mozzarella? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Nason and the proposed Class are represented by Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates PC.

The TGI Fridays Mozzarella Sticks Class Action Lawsuit is Megan Nason, et al. v. Inventure Foods Inc., Case No. 7:20-cv-10141, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

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