Last fall, Mission Foods, a Texas-based tortilla and chip maker, sued Mission Taco Joint for trademark infringement related to the use of the word “Mission” after learning about the restaurant chain at the 2023 Tortilla Industry Association Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas.

The tortilla maker claimed that the word had a distinctive flair and had become a trademark for Mission Foods products after 60 years in business, so Mission Taco Joint’s use of the word was misleading.

Adam Tilford, owner of Mission Taco Joint in St. Louis, said a name change was part of the settlement and the copyright to the Mission Foods brand was “pretty bombproof,” so he didn’t want to try to fight it because it would likely have meant the end of the company.

As a result, the St. Louis-based restaurant chain announced Monday that it will be rebranded as Session Taco in the coming months. According to a press release, owners and brothers Adam and Jason Tilford “made the decision to turn the unfortunate news into an opportunity to refresh their menu and recommit to service and a family-friendly, yet still fun experience for their guests.”

Adam Tilford said news of the lawsuit was a blow to them as a small brand facing the $6.8 billion Gruma Corp., the parent company of Mission Foods, but they are taking it in stride.

He said the name change, which only drops the letters “M” and “I” from the word “Mission,” was intentional. Additionally, dropping the word “Joint” was a move the brothers had always wanted, and Adam Tilford said they are taking this opportunity to make the change.

“The name is derived from my brother and I’s roots in Southern California,” said Adam Tilford. He said Session can be used to describe fun moments, like a “skate session” or “sports session,” so the name Session Taco was just right. “People can come in and have a taco session or a margarita session.”

New, lighter coastal dishes like blue crab taquitos, grilled mahi-mahi tacos, vegan chorizo ​​tacos, pier fish and chips and churro cheesecake empanadas will be added to the menu.

Some current items, like the MJT tortas, will no longer be available and the drinks menu is still a work in progress.

The brand will also have a new visual identity, softer versions of the current brand colours of orange and blue, which will appear in menus, merchandise, glassware and signage by the end of the year. The rollout will be slow so as not to confuse customers, Adam Tilford said.

Chef and owner Jason Tilford called the change an evolution, not a revolution.

“Session Taco will be a new chapter for us and an opportunity to bring new energy to the menu and our team,” he said in a press release.

Session Taco’s new menu will launch in Kansas City locations this week and St. Louis locations next week. Mission Taco Joint opened its first location in St. Louis’ Delmar Loop in 2013. The chain expanded to include four more locations in the St. Louis area, two in Kansas City and most recently one in Leawood, Kansas.

Adam Tilford said he is most excited about breathing new life into the brand with this change. He said Mission Taco Joint has struggled as a brand, with service and quality declining due to labor shortages.

“We are investing heavily in new operations,” said Adam Tilford.