Judge Says Lawsuit Claiming TGI Friday’s Mozzarella Stick Snacks Have No Mozzarella Can Move Forward

Judge Says Lawsuit Claiming TGI Friday’s Mozzarella Stick Snacks Have No Mozzarella Can Move Forward

A federal judge has ruled that a potential nationwide class action lawsuit can proceed against the makers of "TGI Friday's Mozzarella Snack Sticks” — for allegedly not actually containing mozzarella cheese. 

The lawsuit was originally filed in Illinois District Court and this week the judge allowed the suit to continue against manufacturer Inventure Foods — but not against the restaurant chain that shares the same name.

Plaintiff Amy Joseph in her initial complaint (see below) in February 2021, accused both TGI Friday's Inc. and the makers of the cheese sticks, Inventure Foods Inc., of misleading customers with the packaging label, and alleging that customers would not pay as much — or buy as much  — of the product if it was accurately labeled, according to the lawsuit.

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According to the suit, the cheese listed on the snack package is actually...cheddar. 

U.S. District Judge Robert M. Dow Jr. on Monday denied a motion from Inventure Foods to dismiss the lawsuit, according to Reuters. 

Judge Dow Jr. did, however, reportedly grant TGI Friday's request to be removed as a defendant in the case, as he found the chain restaurant's only involvement in the "mozzarella sticks" product to be as a licensor.