Barney’s Beanery “Kobe” Beef

October 2014: A state judge granted final approval of the settlement to this lawsuit.

January 2014: A state judge preliminarily approved a settlement to a class-action lawsuit against Barney’s Worldwide, Inc. The complaint, which was originally filed in 2012, alleges that Barney’s Beanery restaurants claim that menu items contain “Kobe” beef (beef from the “Wagyu” bloodline of cattle from the Kobe region of Japan) when the menu items actually do not contain “Kobe” beef. According to the settlement terms, class members with proof of purchase may receive a $15 gift card to Barney’s Beanery restaurants and class members without proof of purchase may receive a $10 gift card to Barney’s Beanery restaurants. In addition, the restaurant agreed to stop falsely representing that beef is “Kobe” beef. For more information, go to www.KobeBeefClassAction.com. (Nalbantian et al v. Barney’s Worldwide Inc., et al, Case No. BC493145, Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles).

For more information about other class-action lawsuits regarding “Kobe” beef and TINA.org’s coverage of the issue, click here.