Torchy’s Tacos Is Facing A Lawsuit Over A Cow Tooth Found In A Taco Order

2 min read

Key Points

A woman is suing Torchy’s Tacos after she says she found a cow tooth in a taco from the chain’s South Congress location in Austin, Texas.Torchy’s confirmed the object was a cow tooth and said it came from the natural beef cheek used in its barbacoa.The lawsuit alleges negligence and seeks $250,000 or less, with a jury to determine the final amount.

There are some things you expect to find in a taco: shredded lettuce, a zesty salsa, fresh veggies. A cow tooth is definitely not one of them.

A Texas woman is suing Torchy’s Tacos after she says she found what turned out to be a cow tooth in a takeout order from the chain’s South Congress location in Austin. According to her attorney, Scott Vasquez, she ordered a Democrat taco—which includes beef barbacoa, avocado, cotija cheese, cilantro, and diced onions—when she made the discovery, he told News Channel 10.

Vasquez said his client’s first reaction was basically what you’d expect: “Her reaction was disgust. ‘What is this?’ Looking at it, she thought it was a tooth.”

Torchy’s later confirmed that the item was, in fact, a cow tooth.

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According to the lawsuit filed Tuesday, the plaintiff alleges that Torchy’s knew or should have known something like this could end up in its food and that it was negligent in its safety standards. Vasquez argued that someone should have caught the tooth somewhere along the supply or preparation process before the food reached the customer.

Torchy’s Tacos said in a statement that it was aware of the complaint and takes food safety concerns seriously. The company also explained that the barbacoa used in the taco is made with natural beef cheek sourced from a supplier. After reviewing the complaint, Torchy’s said it identified the item as a cow tooth and that this can occasionally happen. The company said it has since worked with the supplier to reinforce procedures to prevent it from happening again.

The woman’s attorney also raised a safety concern, saying an object like that could potentially be a choking hazard. The lawsuit seeks $250,000 or less, with a jury to determine the final amount.

It is worth noting that the negligence claims are allegations in the lawsuit, not established findings. Torchy’s has acknowledged the incident itself and confirmed that the object was a cow tooth. Still, this may be one of those stories that makes you inspect your next taco just a little more closely.