They’re known for their mouth-watering turkey legs, and lines wrapped around the corner, but the Turkey Leg Hut has found itself fighting yet another lawsuit. The popular Third Ward restaurant is being sued by U.S. Foods, a national food distributor that claims the Houston business and its owner owe more than $1.2 million for goods and services provided last year. But the owners say people need to push pause before jumping on the bashing bandwagon because there are “three sides to every story.”
“Turkey Leg Hut was not aware of a pending lawsuit until we were contacted by the media Thursday afternoon. From what we can see, this is not adding up and cannot comment further on the pending litigation. The math is not mathin’,” the company said in a statement.
While that’s their official statement, unofficially, owners Lynn and Nakia Price are taking to social media to defend their successful business.
“The proof will come out. Just like it came out with the woods, smoke and all that,” Lynn Price said, referring to a previous lawsuit where neighbors sued the restaurant because of smoke from their ovens. The Prices’ emerged victorious in that suit.
Lynn Price says the more successful they get, the more people attack them. So this latest lawsuit is nothing new.
“They can’t fathom how a Black couple has done as well as we’ve done. And then you see places with this clickbait, they run with it,” Price said in video posted to social media. “We have a worldwide brand. When you have a brand that’s strong, the comments don’t get to me. You have to be able to decipher the hate. I’ve dealt with haters in the street. A lawsuit and hate online is not going to stop people from eating. Good work sells itself.”
US Foods, which is based in the Chicago area, filed a civil lawsuit in a federal court in Illinois in early December. The lawsuit names Turkey Leg Hut and Nakia Price as defendants and alleges they defaulted on a 2020 agreement for produce and other food items.
“The total amount currently due and owing from Turkey Leg under the Turkey Leg Customer Agreement is $1,288,583.12, exclusive of interest, costs, and fees,” the lawsuit reads.
In the beginning of September 2020, US Foods and Turkey Leg Hut agreed on delivery of service and goods, according to the lawsuit. Price also allegedly agreed to pay all costs, expenses and fees, including attorney fees. The TLH and Price also agreed to pay a 1.5% interest a month in past due payments.
US Foods alleges that Turkey Leg Hut has not paid for $85,106.17 worth of produce it was provided between May and September of last year, and has an outstanding balance of nearly $1.3 million when factoring in other food and food-related products it received. Price is named as a defendant in the lawsuit because she signed on as guarantor in the agreement, according to US Foods.
The lawsuit alleges breach of contract and unjust enrichment on the part of Turkey Leg Hut, among other claims.
Nakia Price posted on her social media, “Us Foods owed us money for advertising, etc on trucks, IG and all. It’s always three sides to a story, and their side ain’t the truth. Why would a company let a bill get that high? Because they did not at all. I have dealt with bigger, but hold tight. Trust me, this is trash. Money, numbers don’t lie.”
