This Is The Most Bizarre Food Lawsuit We’ve Ever Heard Of

Lawsuits happen pretty often — and while they typically make the news, sometimes time makes people forget. For instance, one of the most bizarre food lawsuits actually happened in 2007… and it’ll leave you absolutely puzzled.

The lawsuit took place between two burger giants — CKE Restaurants Inc., who own chains Hardees and Carl’s Jr., and Jack In The Box. It all had to do with a set of ads that CKE thought were a little misleading. Now, Jack In The Box is kind of known for having commercials that push the limit. Don’t forget, there was outrage over their latest campaign featuring their new bowls.

The Jack In The Box commercials that CKE was referring to were kind of similar. They focused around their Angus burgers. According to Digital Journal, one of their ads focused on a bunch of executives who were having a laugh over the word “Angus.” In another, the Jack In The Box mascot was next to a diagram of a cow and stated that he’d “rather not” when he was asked to point out where Angus cuts came from. Point being: Their campaign was that “Angus” sounds a little like “anus,” which is a part of the body.

The campaigns themselves were a little questionable, since — well, who wants to think about an anus during lunch? But ultimately, they were harmless.

CKE opened up a lawsuit since they felt like Jack In The Box was confusing people. While Angus is a type of cow, they felt as if Jack In The Box was pretty much telling people that Angus meat came from the anus.

Sure, it’s possible that their joke about the word just didn’t land, but to file a lawsuit over it is kind of crazy. According to NBC News, they weren’t the only chain serving Angus burgers at the time, meaning that customers were likely already aware of what they were. Right?

Actually, that’s not totally the case. CKE did a survey and found out that 36% of the 404 people surveyed thought that Angus burgers came from, well, the caboose of a cow. That’s a shockingly high number. “They’re not being funny,” said CKE chief executive Andrew F. Puzder, per NBC News. “They need to stop misleading people about what Angus beef is.”

When the lawsuit first came up, the chain reportedly refused to stop airing their ads. And they didn’t let the setback stop them from being a little edgy. But eventually, they reached a settlement, causing the case to be dismissed.

Think of it this way — it’d be boring if every burger chain played it safe. And at least it helped educate people on Angus beef.

No matter which fast food company is your favorite, there’s one thing that brings us all together: deals! For Jack In The Box deals, click here. And for Carl’s Jr., you can click right here.