What's In A Name?

There have been some really clever business names over the years (the hair salon “Turn Your Head and Coif” has always amused me), but this one? This one made me laugh out loud. I suppose the next time I’m in Arizona I’ll have to go have lunch – provided that the Lovely Mrs. G. doesn’t object.

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Pink Taco Restaurant Name Causes Stir

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - The name of a new restaurant in Scottsdale is stirring up some trouble. The Las Vegas-based Pink Taco Mexican Restaurant is scheduled to open its second location in downtown Scottsdale in June.

Nearly half a dozen people in the upscale city recently expressed their objection to the name, claiming it's a derogatory slang term for a portion of the female anatomy.

In late April, the city received four e-mails, three of which bore no names, objecting to the restaurant's name. One of those e-mails stated: "The City of Scottsdale has a very fine reputation around the world. Let's keep the standards high. Let's let what plays in Vegas stay in Vegas."

Scottsdale Mayor Mary Manross has said she is offended by the name and went so far as to ask the owner to change it, although he refused.

Restaurant spokeswoman Lisa Perez said the company's name comes from one of its menu items.

Perez said the company has not received any complaints or objections about its name.

The original Pink Taco is inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

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Sure enough, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino’s Pink Taco restaurant is alive in well in Sin City, where Pink Tacos are a dime a dozen. (Actually, they’re $8.50, according to the menu I found online. But you get my gist, don’t you?)

I really have to wonder why Scottsdale is so up in arms about this restaurant’s name, though. According to a quick Web search, there are three “Hooters” locations in the Scottsdale area. And from what I can tell from my online look, all of the waitstaff is properly clothed. So what’s one more bar/pub/grill with a semi-dirty name?

Besides, it could’ve been worse. Why, I can think of at least 20 other double entendre-filled names right off the top of my head, but I’ll spare you my crude thoughts and save them, in case I need to register a trademark for a fine dining establishment called "Junk in a Box."

So relax, Scottsdale – a restaurant by any other name will still charge $9 for a bowl of guacamole and some chips. Now, that’s offensive.