Fast-food chain owner in Russia's Primorye demands former McDonald's restaurants be renamed

VLADIVOSTOK. June 15 (Interfax) - The management of the Primorye Territory's public catering chain Yeda i tochka (Food and that's it) demands that the Vkusno i tochka (Tasty and that's it) fast-food outlets, which are former McDonald's restaurants in Russia, be renamed, and is even ready to go to court, Yeda i tochka chain owner Sergei Pankratov told Interfax.

"Because of the name of the new chain, Vkusno i tochka, our business in any new region will be regarded as a derivative, as an imitation. The name of the brand will not be unique. And if we do not agree on the name, we will have to go to court. We are currently waiting to see how the situation will unfold. No one has contacted us yet on this matter," Pankratov said.

The entrepreneur said that his company Yeda i tochka has been on the market since 2018 but operates only in Vladivostok for now. The company had ideas regarding its further development, including the Obed i tochka (Lunch and that's it) project to offer boxed lunches, as well as another chain of small coffee shops, Kofe i tochka (Coffee and that's it), he said.

Pankratov said that his goal is not to receive some financial reward or to put forth any new demands other than the demand to rename Vkusno i tochka.

"We have not yet chosen lawyers. We do not have any clear understanding as to who will embark on this long and challenging path together with us. It will be difficult. There may be some temptations along this road. We do not want to make the wrong choice," he said.

Pankratov said that former McDonald's restaurants and his cafes have different menus, but both companies are public catering chains.

"We think that there is an obvious intercrossing. We want to stay unique. Our name, Yeda i tochka, is unique. Search engines will confirm that there has been nothing of the kind in our country," the businessman said.