TGI Fridays sued over ‘mozzarella sticks that contain cheddar cheese’

TGI Friday’s faced a class action lawsuit claiming their mozzarella sticks snacks contained a different cheese (Picture: Getty Images)

A woman has sued TGI Friday’s and snack manufacturer Inventure Foods, claiming that there is no actual mozzarella in their mozzarella sticks.

In a class-action lawsuit filed by Amy Joseph in March 2021, the plaintiff alleges that she and other customers were mislead by the popular restaurant chain’s snacks, which do not actually contain any mozzarella cheese.

TGI Fridays, a restaurant chain operating 335 locations across 33 US states, serves mozzarella sticks appetizers on its menu.

The suit is not disputing that these mozzarella sticks, which are sold as part of its popular $10 Endless Apps promotion, contain its namesake cheese.

Instead, the suit is targeting the TGI Fridays branded packaged snack version of the appetizer, which is manufactured and sold by Inventure Foods.

In the fine print on the back of the bags, the company reveals these snacks actually contain cheddar cheese.

The lawsuit concerns TGI Friday’s branded mozzarella sticks snacks

In the lawsuit, Joseph claims that she chose to purchase the mozzarella sticks because the cheese is lower in sodium and contains probiotics to strengthen the immune system.

She bought the snacks for $22.95 on Amazon, only to realize they contained no mozzarella cheese when they arrived.

The lawsuit states that Joseph reasonably believed the snacks contained real mozzarella, considering the packaging and association with the restaurant’s appetizer.

‘As made clear by their name, mozzarella cheese is the defining ingredient in mozzarella sticks,’ the lawsuit states. ‘Indeed, a simple Google search for the term “mozzarella sticks” reveals dozens of recipes for mozzarella sticks that require the use of mozzarella cheese.’

The lawsuit even links to recipe from Food Network chef Giada De Laurentiis, and notes that the only cheese it contains is mozzarella.