Now here is some interesting food for thought…. IHOP (International House of Pancakes) is suing IHOP (International House of Prayer) based out of Kansas for trademark infringement saying that the prayer centers name will confuse the public. According to the Kansas City Star:
IHOP (pancake), based in Glendale, Calif., has sued IHOP (prayer), based in Kansas City, for trademark dilution and infringement. The lawsuit, filed last week in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, essentially said there was room for only one IHOP and that would be the restaurant chain that has been using the initials since 1973.
The religious group drawing thousands from around the world to south Kansas City to prepare for “end times” was started just 10 years ago. Other than an acronym, the two have nearly zilch in common.
The IHOP (prayer) on Red Bridge Road operates 24/7/365, sending a never-ending digital signal of prayers to Jerusalem, where it streams live on God TV for broadcast all over the world.
The other largely operates 24/7/365, too, but it is known for its pancakes, including a signature breakfast specialty called “Rooty Tooty Fresh ’N Fruity.”
But the chain, which has 1,476 restaurants across the country, claims it has six registered trademarks with the IHOP acronym and that the religious group’s use of the same four-letter logo causes, according to the lawsuit, “great and irreparable injury and confuses the public.”
What is your take on the situation???
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Squeeze them dry IHOP!
IHOP the church may be liable for trademark infringement and dilution because they are beginning to serve food and this may lead to consumer confusion. The likelihood of consumer confusion is a necessary component in trademark infringement and dilutioncases. The fact that IHOP is a famous restaurant may also play into the courts decision. Other than those factors IHOP the Church has a right to use the acronym because the entities do not serve similar functions. Sophisticated consumers should be able to distinguish the two.
this issue is very interesting to me simply because IHOP prayer is like literally maybe 10 or 15 minutes from my crib. never been in there or nothing and never thought it got that big to where itd be sued by the actual IHOP maybe the IHOP thats down the road from it complained.lol. This is just weird IHOP prayer is like located in nowhere, missouri.lol
from what I know of the law, the original IHOP most likely will not win. You can legally use a name that sounds like or has a different spelling than the “original”. something about free speech and other stuff.
Now if they call themselves IHOP and use those initials, house of pancakes may win that, but they won’t be able to force them to change their name.
When Kansas makes the news it’s always something ridiculous…so glad I got out
Whopper the burger and Whopper the candy. Same type of product – no lawsuit.
IHOP the ministry and IHOP the Restaurant. Completely unrelated – yet there’s a lawsuit?? Earth to America? Grow up, IHOPancakes. Don’t be such a baby.
Why do people have to use others names that they have paid for and registered these names??? Why can’t they come up with another name.??Not that hard!! If they are a Church then they should not steal. They of all people should know better than this. CHURCH OR PANCAKES IT DOES NOT MATTER. THAT NAME BELONGS TO IHOP HOUSE OF PANCAKES. I WOULD LOVE TO BE THE JURY ON THIS CASE BECAUSE I RULE FOR HOUSE OF PANCAKES FOR A LARGE SETTLEMENT!!!
This has got to be a joke right… the only confusion is that they have now made IHOP prayer famous! IHOP with their history of animal cruelty have got a real cheek attacking these people of faith.
i think this is dumb. mike bickle started ihop(prayer) to draw near to God. its a house of prayer that is INTERNATIONAL. so IHOP isnt stealing anything. i mean if they called themselves international house of pancakes then yes they could sue but how can pancakes compete with God?
This is dumb. pointless. just because IHOPrayer got famous the decided to sue them. its NOT stealing. what did they steal? say your name was Ashley May Mcintire. are you gonna sue someone with the name Ashley May Mayle? NO! your not! cause they didnt steal your name it JUST happens to start with the same letter! this will go nowhere IHOPancakes wont win anything of this case