Mexican standoff: Australia’s Taco Bill takes on American chain Taco Bell

American fast-food restaurant Taco Bell’s plan to open more than 100 stores in Australia by 2025 may be derailed by an Australian restaurant chain.

Australian chain Taco Bill is taking legal action against Taco Bell over its similar name, claiming that if the US chain opens in the area customers will mistakenly believe the chains are affiliated.

Taco Bill, which has 32 Victorian stores and one store in New South Wales, is hoping to prevent Taco Bell from opening stores in Victoria and Albury, in NSW.

It’s not the first time the two Tex-Mex chains have battled it out in court.

In the 1990s, when Taco Bell made an earlier attempt to break in to the Australian market, Taco Bill and Taco Bell were involved in a four-year legal battle.

Taco Bell has a long history of legal stoushes over its name in Australia.

In 1981, Sydney restaurant Taco Bell’s Casa thwarted Taco Bell’s first attempt to launch in Australia, after taking the US chain to court over its similar name.

Four Taco Bell stores have opened in Queensland in the last 18 months, with the restaurant chain indicating it intends to open 10 more by the end of 2019 and 110 by 2024.

Image: (Taco Bell) NurPhoto/ (Taco Bill) Google Maps