All's in the name for Burger King; in legal battles against Indian food joints with similar names

Burger King, world's second-largest burger chain, which debuted in India last year is having a tough time handling all the trademark cases involving similar names or logos. The defendants range from pushcarts to plush food joints in different cities.

While in some cases, the effort has paid off, some cases are still pending in courts. To name the success, Mr Singh Burger King, which is a street vendor based in Ludhiana changed its name to Mr Singh Food King, citing lack of financial resources to fight the legal battle. Similarly, another restaurant called Burger King, based in Varanasi changed its name to Taste King after a Delhi High Court injunction.

Burger King Corp., based in Miami, has opened 33 outlets in India, in a joint venture with Everstone Capital. In the past two years, it has filed trademark cases against at least six Indian operators in the Delhi High Court , out of which three are still pending, as stated by records on the court website.

Another noticeably similar name for Burger King is Burger Singh, based in Gurgaon, which recently mopped up an angel investment funding of Rs 2.2 crores.

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