Choose Chicago and The Dearborn Visit

Hugo’s in Dublin

Taco John’s Abandons ‘Taco Tuesday’ Trademark

On June 22nd, at the famed Hugo’s Restaurant in Dublin, Ireland, a collaborative luncheon was served to over 40 dignitaries, business leaders and influencers. Out of all the restaurants in Chicago, Lynn Osmond of Choose Chicago joined forces with Amy and Clodagh Lawless of The Dearborn. The sisters Lawless and their team traveled across the pond to work with Gina Murphy of Dublin’s Hugo’s Restaurant for a smashing event for over forty distinguished business leaders, journalists and influencers. Chef Aaron Cuschieri (The Dearborn) and Chef Michael Morrisroe (Hugo’s) collaborated to curate a fantastic four-course luncheon that exemplified the strong connection between Chicago and Ireland. Over 30,000 Irish citizens visited Chicago last year alone. Collaborations like this are designed to promote even more interest in Chicago from The Emerald Isle. The mandate at The Dearborn is to provide each guest (visiting from Ireland or around the corner) with the truest sense of Irish Hospitality, a mindset they learned growing up in Galway, Ireland. Amy says, “We strive to create a dining experience based on the Irish saying ‘Céad Míle Fáilte,’ meaning a thousand wishes.”

“It’s in our blood,” Clodagh says.

“Cooking is all about people. Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together. No matter what culture, everywhere around the world, people eat together.”

— Guy Fieri

The fight over the Taco Tuesday trademark is over. Taco John’s said that it is abandoning the fight over the registration for the trademark, saying that it “doesn’t feel like the right thing to do” to pay lawyers to maintain a mark it has owned for 34 years.

“We’ve always prided ourselves on being the home of Taco Tuesday, but paying millions of dollars to lawyers to defend our mark just doesn’t feel like the right thing to do,” Taco John’s CEO Jim Creel said in a statement.

Taco John’s filed a “notice of abandonment” with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), indicating it would give up its right to the Taco Tuesday trademark.

– Restaurant Business

GoodPop’s First Beverage

Frozen dessert brand GoodPop has unveiled its new sparkling juice-based beverage that will complement the brand’s freezer pops. The drinks come in three flavors – Lemon Lime, Orange and Fruit Punch – and is the brand’s first beverage product.

– BevNet