In Rodriguez v. Taco Bell Corporation, the Court analyzed whether Taco Bell offering their employees a discounted meal to eat during their 30-minute lunch break, subject to a restriction that the meal be eaten on the premises, violated the law. California Wage Order 5-2001 requires employees be relieved of all duty during a requisite meal period. During plaintiff’s period of employment, Taco Bell offered thirty- minute meal breaks that were fully compliant with California’s requirements, but with a special offer that employees could purchase a meal from the restaurant at a discount, provided they ate the meal in the restaurant. The trial court ruled for Taco Bell. The Ninth Circuit held that California law was not violated because Taco Bell relieved their employees of all duties during the meal break period and exercised no control over their activities, where employees were free to use the thirty minutes in any way they wished, subject only to the restriction that if they purchased a discounted meal, they had to eat in the restaurant. The Court rejected the argument that employees were under sufficient employer control to render the time compensable.

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