Wendy's Just Lost Another Court Battle Against Its Netherlands Rival
If you have ever traveled to Europe, you may have noticed a distinct lack of Wendy's. Back in 1979, the American fast-food chain decided to open up some flagship locations on the continent, per Gourmandize. By 1988, a restaurant based out of Goes, Netherlands, named Wendy's popped up, and the owner decided to copyright the name in 1995. As a result, Wendy's fast-food restaurants couldn't operate in a small pocket of the Netherlands. The American Wendy's didn't take this news lightly and decided to wage a legal battle in 2000 over the naming rights. Eventually, the fast-food empire lost, along with the ability to operate its franchises across Europe, as that would conflict with the Dutch business of the same name.
This major loss didn't stop the war between restaurants. Dutch News reports that the American Wendy's once again tried to gain a foothold in Europe through a court case based out of Den Bosch. The American company asked a court to force the small Dutch Wendy's to change its name so the major fast-food chain could move in. The Dutch eatery, Wendy's in Goes, firmly held its ground and dealt another major blow to the American restaurant.
Why did the European courts side with the Dutch restaurant?
According to Dutch News, the judge in the case found that Wendy's in Goes doesn't violate any rules, and as a result, doesn't need to change their business practices. "The snack bar is using the name appropriately, and it is also on t-shirts, tickets and paper bags," the judge said. The case made it clear that the restaurant need not expand to other countries in order to maintain its rights over the Wendy's name. Since the ruling, neither restaurant has decided to comment on the lawsuit.
Even in the face of a massive fast-food empire, this tiny Netherlands dining establishment continues to hold its ground and keep serving diners, despite pressures from America's very own Wendy's. Next time you need a dose of inspiration, keep this ongoing court case in mind and remember that sometimes even a single plucky restaurant has the power to compete with a multinational corporation.