PINK TACO

'Pink Taco' is a Mexican restaurant chain that has earned notoriety^[1] for its name, which is the same as a slang term for a human vagina. The president and CEO, Harry Morton, contends it comes from a menu item^[2] and claims that if the restaurant were truly "vagina-themed" there would be "vaginas all over the walls."^[3]

Contents

Locations

Name controversy

References

External links

Locations

Pink Taco currently has three locations open. The first one opened in 2000 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.^[4] The other is in Scottsdale, Arizona. A third location opened on June 28, 2007 in Los Angeles, California.^[5] Other locations set to open later in 2007 include San Diego, California and Huntington Beach, California.

Name controversy

The name has caused controversy in Scottsdale, Arizona where the restaurant attempted to open a second location. In response, the city government received four emails, of which three were anonymous, complaining about the name. This generated a complaint from Mayor Mary Manross who said she was offended, although she did not see the name in a sexual way until the complaints were raised. She asked the owner to change the name, but he refused.¹
On May 15 2006, the Scottsdale City Council, by a unanimous vote, recommended the restaurant for a liquor license from the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control. One resident, Mary Beth Hollmann, raised an objection at the meeting, saying the name "demeans and degrades women". The state agency has not received any complaints.^[6]
The restaurant has gained media attention from the controversy, and people from the cable television shows ''The Daily Show with Jon Stewart'' and ''Mind of Mencia'' contacted the restaurant for interviews. These requests were initially turned down.⁶ However, the Pink Taco and a woman who opposed the name were both later featured on a report by Ed Helms on ''The Daily Show'' on the June 27, 2006 show, which included an interview with Harry Morton.^[3] The restaurant was also mentioned on the May 20, 2006 showing of ''Saturday Night Live'' as part of its "Weekend Update" skit.^[8]
Scottsdale is also home to another controversially named business, an upscale hotel called Hotel Valley Ho, which can be seen by some to refer to prostitution.⁶
In August 2006, Morton offered $30 million for the naming rights to the Arizona Cardinals' new stadium in Glendale, Arizona.^[9] The offer was subsequently rejected by the Cardinals, who dismissed the announcement as a joke and a publicity stunt. On September 28, 2006, Pink Taco launched a similar bid to rename the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans to the Pink Taco Dome. As the State of Louisiana owns the Superdome any name change must be approved by the Louisiana State Legislature.^[10]

References

1. Pink Taco Restaurant Name Causes Stir
2. Council gives OK for eatery liquor license Lesley Wright
3. ''The Daily Show''. "Box Lunch." Ed Helms. Produced by Bronwen Epstein. Edited by Einar Westerlund.
4. Suggestive name puts eatery, city at odds Megan Finnerty
5. Pink Taco
6. Restaurant name spurs TV interest Jonathan Athens
7. ''The Daily Show''. "Box Lunch." Ed Helms. Produced by Bronwen Epstein. Edited by Einar Westerlund.
8.
9. Villalobos, Louie. "Pink Taco's owners make bid to name Cards stadium." ''Arizona Republic.'' August 21, 2006. Retrieved on August 21, 2006.
10. Mackel, Fletcher. "Pink Taco Wants Naming Rights to Superdome." ''WDSU.'' September 28, 2006. Retrieved on September 29, 2006.

External links

★ Pink Taco website