Fast food chain Taco Bell was ordered to pay thousands for allegedly denying customers the right to cash out gift cards valued at less than $10.
The complaint was filed on behalf of the district attorney’s offices in Ventura, Los Angeles, and Sonoma counties.
The ruling ordered Taco Bell Corporation and its subsidiary, GCTB LLC, to pay $85,500 for violating California’s gift card law, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.
According to Civil Code 1749.5, the owner of a gift card with a balance of less than $10 can obtain a refund from the merchant if they do not wish to spend the remaining balance.
The settlement terms state that Taco Bell will pay $45,000 in civil penalties, $30,500 in investigative costs, and $10,000 to the California Consumer Protection Prosecution Trust Fund.