Aussie entrepreneur fails in bid to trademark ‘McKosher’
McDonald's lawyers torpedo plan for Scottish-Jewish restaurant
Patrick Maguire is a reporter at the Jewish News.
An enterprising Australian has been scuppered in his bid to trademark the name ‘McKosher’.
Mark Glaser – who claims to have had ancestors bearing the unique moniker – incurred the wrath of fast food titans McDonald’s when he attempted to register the name for a Scottish-Jewish restaurant in his hometown of Maclean.
The town is famous for its tartan telegraph poles – and bills itself as the “most Scottish town in Australia”.
But the might of McDonald’s legal team has sent Glaser back to the drawing board.
Lawyers acting for the burger behemoth told a court hearing that the firm is currently in negotiations with the Jerusalem rabbinate over the use of the name for kosher-certified branches in the city.
The Australian Trademarks Office ruled that the branding for Glaser’s hummus-and-haggis outfit would likely cause confusion for punters.
New South Wales’ answer to Ray Kroc was unavailable to comment.
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