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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Pancakes Take on Prayers in Court

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (CN) - The International House of Pancakes claims the International House of Prayer is diluting its IHOP trademark.

The federal battle of IHOPs will be fought between the well-known pancake palace and several Missouri ministries, including defendants International House of Prayer, Friends of the Bridegroom, Shiloh Ministries, and International House of Prayer East Bay.

"House of Prayer Kansas City's use of 'International House of Prayer,' 'IHOP,' and variations thereof has diluted or is likely to dilute the distinctiveness, strength, and value of IHOP's International House of Pancakes and IHOP marks and, therefore, has violated IHOP's federal and common law rights in those marks," the California-based pancake chain says.

The pancake maker says it began using the IHOP trademark in 1973 and has more 1,500 restaurants in the United States, including 45 in Missouri.

It wants the ministries enjoined from using the IHOP trademark in signs, social media, websites, products and missions. It also wants them to transfer over all domain names that incorporate IHOP, and costs.

IHOP, maker of secular pancakes, is represented by Mark Hinderks with Stinson Morrison Hecker.

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