McDonald's In Legal Battle With Houston Mac & Cheese Restaurant Over The Word "Mac"

A Houston-area gourmet macaroni and cheese eatery is involved in a trademark battle with fast food behemoth Big Mac because it dared to use the word “mac” in the restaurant’s name.

Opened almost a year ago, Jus’ Mac is a restaurant with around 18 different varieties of mac and cheese items on its menu. The owner attempted to trademark the name “Jus’ Mac,” but the folks at the Golden Arches think the restaurant’s name might be too close to its signature Big Mac burger.

As a compromise, the owner and her lawyers added the phrase “a mac and cheese eatery” after the name but haven’t heard back from McDonald’s attorneys as to whether or not this will calm the storm.

“I never thought we’d be sought after by McDonald’s of all people, so we’re definitely not going to fight it,” the owner tells the Houston Chronicle. “We’ll see if they work with us… We hope and pray they will.”

A rep for the fast food chain tells the Chronicle, “McDonald’s considers its trademarks to be a very important asset… We hope to find a mutually acceptable resolution to this matter.”

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