(RNS) — The International House of Pancakes has dropped its suit against the International House of Prayer after claiming the Missouri-based church had infringed on its trademarked IHOP acronym.
Patrick Lenow, spokesman for IHOP Restaurants, said the suit was dismissed Dec. 21 but negotiations are continuing between the chain and the church.
“We are very interested in resolving this matter amicably, and have voluntarily dismissed our suit in the hopes that this can be accomplished,” he said in a statement to Religion News Service.
“We are hopeful that further talks will be productive, but all remedies remain open to us.”
The Kansas City church declined comment other than to confirm it was aware of the dismissal of the suit.
In its suit filed Sept. 9 in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, the pancake chain said the church “intended to misappropriate the fame and notoriety of the household name IHOP to help promote and make recognizable their religious organization.”
The Glendale, Calif.-based chain uses the website IHOP.com and the church’s website remains IHOP.org.
— Adelle M. Banks
© 2011 Religion News Service. Used with permission.
Posted Jan. 5, 2011
