In an unusual trademark battle, local food company McPatel Foods has dragged global fast-food giant McDonald’s to court, claiming it was threatened with legal action for using the prefix ‘Mc’ in its name.
As per media reports, McPatel, based in Ahmedabad and known for selling French fries under the brand ‘Ohh! Potato’, filed a case last month in the Ahmedabad rural court. The company is seeking protection under Section 142 of the Trademarks Act to prevent McDonald’s from objecting to its use of the ‘Mc’ prefix.
The legal issue began when McDonald’s sent a notice to McPatel, claiming it had exclusive rights over the use of ‘Mc’ in branding. The notice warned that if McPatel did not drop the prefix, legal action would follow.
Before heading to court, both parties attempted mediation, an official step required before filing a commercial lawsuit. The mediation took place in the Delhi High Court, but it ended without a resolution. According to McPatel’s lawyer, senior counsel H.S. Tolia, McDonald’s insisted that McPatel stop using the prefix entirely.
McPatel has now asked the Ahmedabad court to intervene, arguing that ‘Mc’ is a common prefix meaning “son of” and cannot be owned by a single company.
The court has issued a notice to McDonald’s and scheduled the next hearing for July 28.
