Skip to Content

Get the latest on Wrath of the Lich King on WoW Insider!

Posts with tag taco bell

Axl Rose sues over Dr Pepper giveaway

Filed under: Extracurriculars

It seems not everyone had something to be thankful for on Thursday. Axl Rose, the frontman for Guns and Roses filed suit against Dr. Pepper Snapple Group for their recent Dr. Pepper giveaway. On November 23, Dr Pepper attempted to make good on their promise of free Dr. Pepper for all if Guns and roses released their long awaited "Chinese Democracy' album in 2008. Sadly, many users including WalletPop.com staff couldn't get the Drpepper.com to load which prompted Dr. Pepper to open up call lines to process coupon requests.

Charitable Celebrities

    Brad and Angelina are the reigning King and Queen of Celebrity Charity. Angelina is a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador, and the pair has traveled the world trying to bring relief to the neediest. According to tax records, the couple donated more than $8 million to charity in 2006 alone.

    Kevin Winter, Getty Images

    Oprah Winfrey has invested $40 million in her Academy for Girls in South Africa and raised over $58.3 million for various non-profits through her Oprah's Angel Network. Plus, she's given cars, hams, toasters, etc. to underprivileged audience members on her show.

    Denis Farrell, AP

    She gives no mercy on the bench, but famously nasty-on-TV Judge Judy Sheindlin is much more charitable in real life. She supports a mentoring program called Her Honor, which pairs high school juniors and students with dynamic female leaders.

    Brad Barket, Getty Images

    Paris Hilton is charitable... in theory. After her brief her prison stay, Paris Hilton announced she was traveling to on a philanthropic mission to Rwanda. Her inability to follow through made her less giving than some of her celebrity pals.

    Chad Buchanan, Getty Images

    George Clooney, who goes to United Way board meetings, traveled to Darfur and then headlined the Save Darfur rally in 2006. Clooney is a co-founder of Not On Our Watch, took part in the America: A Tribute to Heroes charity telethon for victims of 9/11... and he takes care of his own, too. He donated $25,000 to writers during the 2007 strike in Hollywood.

    Win McNamee, Getty Images

    Hurricane Katrina rallied many celebrities; Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis joined Habitat for Humanity's rebuilding efforts in their hometown of New Orleans.

    Al Bello, Getty Images

    Bob Geldof was one of the first to leverage fame in the name of charity by founding LiveAid, Live 8, and the Commission for Africa. He received an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for his charitable work in 1986.

    Jens Meyer, AP

    Madonna, with daughter Lourdes, visited a U.N. Millennium village in Malawi and funded several projects. But the controversy surrounding her adopting of local boy David Banda made her goodwill a little fishy.

    Karel Prinsloo, AP

    Irish musician Bono speaks in front of British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Liberia's President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf at a plenary entitled 'Delivering the Promise of Africa.' Bono has been instrumental in raising awareness of global poverty and the AIDS epidemic with his ONE and Product Red campaigns.

    Laurent Gillieron, AP

    Daryl Hannah was removed from a walnut tree in 2006 while protesting the demolition of a 14-acre urban garden in Los Angeles.

    Stefano Paltera, AP



In a bit of irony, no one was more upset that Guns n' Roses fans had to wait than Axl Rose himself. The main portion of Axl's lawsuit alleges that Dr. Pepper flubbed the giveaway, calling it an, "unmitigated disaster," but the suit isn't just looking out for the rights of American consumers. GnR is also seeking compensation for the use of their reputation in connection with the promotion.

Taco Bell sets first free taco day for World Series promotion

Filed under: Daily Deal, Fantastic Freebies

taco bellUPDATE: The first tacos, celebrating Jason Barlett's stolen base for Tampa in Game 1, will be available Tuesday, October 28 from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. What can you get for stopping by? A free Crunchy Seasoned Beef Taco. Thanks, Jason!

At least somebody is excited about the World Series, even if the TV networks are fretting about the lack of a big city audience to drive up Nielsen numbers. Taco Bell is one again offering its free taco deal for any stolen base during a game -- the series starts Wednesday at 8pm and runs, potentially, through October 30. If this year goes anything like last year, the tacos will be offered during certain hours on the day following a game where a player steals a base successfully.

If you're a baseball fan -- or watching Fox at all over the next week or so -- you'll hear a lot more about this in the coming days as the series kicks off. Last year's promotion caught some people by surprise, but you can bet Taco Bell will get as much mileage as possible out of its deal witih Major League Baseball this year.

For anyone who thinks this is small potatoes, money-wise, Forbes ran the numbers last year and found that even if only one base was stolen during each game (the average is 1.2), that still adds up to over $200 million in taco dues.


Fantastic Freebies: Taco Bell's Fruitista Freeze

Filed under: Food, Fantastic Freebies

Every day, WalletPop will be bringing you information about a fantastic freebie. Like what you see? Check back tomorrow for more!

If you stop by your local Taco Bell (something I generally don't recommend) between July 8th and 15th, you can get a free sample of their new Fruitista Freeze which, from what I can tell, looks like a riff on products like Dunkin' Donuts' Coolada. The drink comes in 2 flavors -- strawberry and mango strawberry -- tipping the scales at a whopping 59 grams of sugar. This might look like a great summer beverage, but not if you're planning to wear a bathing suit.

You don't a coupon or anything to get your sample. Just stop in and ask.

Taco Bell: Recession cuisine?

Filed under: Budgets, Food, Saving

Things have been tough for Taco Bell lately. First there was the whole E. coli scare in 2006, which people are still talking about. Then there was the chain's new grills, which it claimed were "green" because they used less water and electricity than traditional steam tables. One of Taco Bell's execs even went so far as to state that "Whether you take shorter showers, turn off the water while brushing your teeth or purchase a Grill-to-Order menu item at Taco Bell, you can save water and impact the environment without even thinking about it." In point of fact, as CNN pointed out, Taco Bell's heavy reliance on beef makes it far from green. Finally, who can forget about Taco Bell's famous rat infestation video, which featured dozens of the furry little critters taking over a New York restaurant.

Still, even with its bacteriological and environmental shortcomings, Taco Bell is my go-to restaurant when it comes to fast food, for the simple reason that it consistently offers relatively healthy (compared to a Big Mac), surprisingly flavorful food for a very low price. My loyalty to the place dates back to when I was a poor starving college student. There was one semester in which I was particularly broke and could only spend about $50 on food. Throwing variety to the wind, I subsisted on plate after plate of hummus, lentils, tuna macaroni salad, and ramen. Whenever I could, I'd find some change in my couch and wander off to Taco Bell, where I could get a burrito for 59¢. It became a lifesaver. Many were the nights when I'd grab a table, pick up a burrito, load it with hot sauce, and savor the joy of something other than my regular fare. When I had an extra couple of cents to splurge, I'd pick up a bottomless cup of soda and revel in my wealth.

Over time, of course, Taco Bell phased out the super value menu. By that point, I had a little more money, so it didn't hit me too hard, although I remember feeling a pang when I discovered that my favorites were now a little more expensive. However, in addition to its push for green cred, Taco Bell seems to be returning to its roots. On May 15, it is rolling out its new "Why Pay More" menu, featuring items that cost 79¢, 89¢, and 99¢. Given that many customers are currently concerned about their ability to pay for gas, the super-cheap menu is coming out at the perfect time. And, to be honest, I will probably be taking advantage of the new offerings.

And I'll remain a Taco Bell regular as long as the rats remain among the patrons, not the ingredients!

Bruce Watson is a freelance writer, blogger, and all-around cheapskate. A recovering fast food junkie, he still dreams about Wendy's "Big Dave's Deluxe" burger.