Ahmedabad: In a surprising development, a food chain in Gujarat had filed a civil suit against McDonald’s Corporation in the local court here, accusing the global fast-food giant of issuing threats over the Indian company’s use of the mark “McPatel.”

The suit, filed by McPatel Foods Private Limited, seeks an injunction to restrain McDonald’s from initiating or threatening legal proceedings against McPatel’s use of the “Mc” prefix in its corporate and product branding, reported Bar and Bench.

McPatel Foods, an Indian snack manufacturer, applied for the trademark “McPatel” in 2024, seeking protection for a variety of products including snacks, bakery items, confectionery, noodles, sauces, and frozen foods.

However, McDonald’s formally objected to the application. They alleged that the “McPatel” mark is deceptively similar to its well-established “Mc” and “Mac” family of trademarks, which include “McDonald’s,” “McFries,” “McChicken,” “McVeggie,” and “McCafe.”

In a statement, McDonald’s claimed that, "The mark is likely to cause confusion and deception and would dilute the distinctive character and reputation of McDonald’s trademarks.”

In response, McPatel Foods filed a counter-statement, denying all allegations, and stated, “The mark ‘McPatel’ was adopted from its registered corporate name and trading style, and has no intention to misrepresent or benefit from any association with McDonald’s.”

The company also pointed out that its application was accepted and advertised by the Trademark Registrar without any conflicting marks raised during the examination stage.

McPatel further contended that “Mc” is a common linguistic prefix and should not be subject to monopolisation across all combinations or industries.

The matter is scheduled for hearing on July 28.