A legal tussle has erupted between global fast-food giant McDonald's and India's homegrown McPatel Foods Private Limited. McDonald's has accused the Gujarat-based food manufacturer of using the "Mc" prefix, which it claims is deceptively similar to its own globally recognized branding. McPatel, in turn, alleges that McDonald's is issuing baseless threats.
McPatel Foods has vehemently denied the allegations, stating they have not adopted any corporate name or trade style to register their identity in a way that implies or benefits from a connection with McDonald's. They assert that McPatel Foods is a legally organized Indian entity operating in the processed food sector and is a registered MSME.
According to McPatel, their trademark is distinct from McDonald's, and the lawsuit is driven by "trade envy" aimed at targeting a domestic company. They point out that their application for registration was accepted and advertised without any objections during the examination phase.
McPatel maintains there is no evidence of confusion or consumer deception, arguing that McDonald's cannot claim a monopoly across all industries. The dispute over the trademark registration is ongoing and has not yet been finally resolved.
The lawsuit was filed by McPatel Foods in the Ahmedabad Rural Court under Section 142 of the Trademarks Act, 1999, citing "groundless threats of legal proceedings." McPatel had applied in March 2024 to register the brand "McPatel" for food products including bakery snacks, noodles, and sauces. McDonald's subsequently filed an objection against this application with the Indian Trademarks Registry on August 27th.
McDonald's contends that the name and logo used by McPatel are similar to its own "Mc" family of trademarks, which have gained global recognition since the 1970s across over a hundred countries, and specifically in India since 1996. McDonald's alleges that McPatel's use is an intentional adoption to gain unfair advantage, potentially leading to confusion and diluting the reputation of its well-established trademarks.