“Taco Tuesday” is more than just a meal for LeBron James—it’s a celebration, a moment of pure joy that he shares with his family and fans. His infectious excitement every Tuesday has brought smiles to millions. Yet, behind the laughter and fun, there’s a twist many may not know. The simple, joyful phrase “Taco Tuesday” isn’t just a playful saying—it’s legally owned.

Yes, Taco John’s, a small Wyoming-based fast-food chain with around 380 outlets, held the rights to “Taco Tuesday®” till 2023. That little “®” at the end of something so innocent and universally loved feels like a dagger to the heart of something that was meant to bring people together. Imagine how it must feel for LeBron—someone who has championed Taco Tuesday for its spirit of unity and fun—now forced to navigate around a legal barrier on something as simple as tacos on a Tuesday.

LeBron made headlines when he teamed up with Taco Bell to promote Taco Tuesday deals. In a humorous twist, the word “Tuesday” was censored in the commercials to avoid infringing on the existing trademark held by Taco John’s. Interestingly, LeBron himself once tried to trademark “Taco Tuesday” through his company in 2019, LBJ Trademarks, LLC. His goal was to protect the phrase in specific areas, such as online entertainment, social media advertising, and downloadable audiovisual content—not for restaurants.

However, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) denied his application, stating that “Taco Tuesday” is a widely used, “commonplace message.” Realizing that he couldn’t claim ownership over something so popular, LeBron ultimately dropped his attempt to trademark the phrase.

A few years later, another company successfully asked for the “Taco Tuesday” trademark to be canceled across all 50 states.

After LeBron James’ unsuccessful attempt to trademark “Taco Tuesday,” Taco Bell stepped in make the phrase free for everyone. In May 2023, Taco Bell petitioned for the trademark to be cancelled. Two months later, Taco John’s CEO announced that the regional chain that  would no longer defend its claim. Taco John’s decided to “abandon” the trademark, not because it wanted to, but to avoid the costly legal fees that came with fighting Taco Bell in court.

“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,” said Taco John’s CEO. Trademark attorney Josh Gerben estimated the legal fees would have been close to $100,000. In October 2023, after Gregory’s restaurant relinquished the trademark in New Jersey, the term became free to use across all 50 states in the US. Following this, Taco Bell announced: “Taco Tuesday officially belongs to all who make, sell, eat and celebrate tacos.”