A Baytown-based Mexican restaurant group thought it had come up with a catchy, perfectly cheesy phrase for its newest billboard: Don’t Mess with Tex-Mex.

El Toro’s corporate leaders were so taken with it, they applied for a trademark on the phrase.

Nacho fast, the Texas Department of Transportation said.

TxDOT lawyers on Tuesday filed a claim with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office opposing El Toro’s application, saying the restaurant’s slogan is too close to the highway agency’s well-known anti-litter campaign.

“Any confusing misuse of the phrasing infringes on our trademark in violation of federal law,” TxDOT spokeswoman Veronica Beyer said.

In other words, you could find yourself enchilada trouble.

Source: TxDOT leaves a tip for restaurant chain: Don’t mess with our trademark – HoustonChronicle.com