McDonald’s Loses Trademark Case Against Small Malaysian Restaurant

Eight years ago, McDonald’s sued a small Malaysian restaurant called McCurry for trademark infringement. This week a Federal Malaysian Court ruled in favor of the 10 year-old Indian fast-food joint, marking a big loss for McDonald’s.

Reuters:

“Chief Judge of Malaya Ariffin Zakaria, reading the verdict of the three-person Federal Court in the administrative capital, said McDonald’s had failed to properly frame its questions when applying to challenge the Appeals Court’s earlier verdict.

“‘It is unfortunate that we have to dismiss the application with costs,’ Ariffin said.

“McCurry, which is short for ‘Malaysian Chicken Curry,’ serves Malaysian staples including fish head curry, according to the company website (www.mccurryrecipe.com).”

But it wasn’t all that easy. The suit, which began in 2001, ruled in favor of McDonald’s in a 2006 High Court ruling. But the owners of McCurry appealed, and Mcdonald’s brought the case to Federal Court.

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