Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee Claim Rejected By US Patent Office
The Dunkin’ Donuts “Best Coffee in America” claim has been rejected by the US Patent office, according to The Telegraph.
Although the company had attempted to register the slogan as its official trademark, the US Patent and Trademark Office recently rejected the claim.
“It is well established that a mark that consists of the generic name of a food that is the specialty of the house or a principal attraction of the restaurant has been held merely descriptive of restaurant services,” the office explained.
The rejection was also based on the fact that the slogan was “nothing more than a claim of superiority.” I’m sure Dunkin’ Donuts will say that was kind of the point.
According to the Boston Globe, the company’s inability to secure the trademarked slogan shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone in the business of selling food.
“Anyone at all can claim that their coffee is the ‘Best Coffee in America.’ No one takes such a claim literally, and no one company can monopolize the phrase,” explained trademark attorney, Zick Rubin.
Dunkin’ Donuts, which claims to sell 1.5 billion cups of coffee on a global scale every year, is obviously disappointed by the news. It’s currently unknown if the company will appeal the ruling by the US Patent and Trademark Office.
“We are reviewing the filing and cannot speculate on future plans at this time,” explained company spokesperson Jessica Gioglio.
The Huffington Post reports that Samuel Adams had similar trouble trademarking the slogan “The Best Beer in America.” The claim was rejected for similar reasons.
Earlier this year, Dunkin’ Donuts’ “Bagel Bunchkin’ trademark was also rejected the the US Patent Office. Officials stated the proposed product’s name was simply too close to “The Bagel Bunch” moniker used by a supermarket chain.
Do you agree that the Dunkin’ Donuts coffee claim should have been rejected by the US Patent Office? Do you think the company provides the “Best Coffee in America?”
Tags : dunkin donuts, dunkin donuts best coffee in america, dunkin donuts coffee claim, dunkin donuts slogan, dunkin donuts slogan rejected, us patent and trademark office, us patent office
Posted: November 27, 2012
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Nov 27, 2012
Worst coffee I've ever had. I'll go to McD's before DD!
Nov 27, 2012
It's not even the best coffee in the city.
Nov 27, 2012
not the "best" coffee, but it's decent. McD's has gotten better, but BK"s is the worst in my humble opinion of the major chains.
Nov 27, 2012
And yes, the U.S. Patent office was correct in issuing and denying their claim to being the "BEST" coffee.They are NOT!
Nov 27, 2012
i think dunkin donuts is over-hyped…I can and do make better coffee on a daily basis in my own home…
Nov 27, 2012
yet they allow crApple to patent page turns and rectangles. USTPO is ridiculous and a joke. However, DD is 10x better than the crappy overpriced burnt hipster douche coffee at Starbucks. You can't fault a company for trying to patent something especially with our broken patent system.
Nov 27, 2012
Sorry but that's not the basis for denying a patent. With our broken patent system you can pretty much label and patent anything (see crApple's patents on rectangles). I don't fault DD for trying to patent it as someone else will try again.
Nov 27, 2012
Opposite for me love DD coffee Can't stand McDonalds it's like drinking mud!!
Nov 27, 2012
Hate McD's as well but not as much as DD
Nov 27, 2012
There coffee is getting weaker every year!
Nov 27, 2012
Douwe Egberts Aroma Red Ground Coffee is the best in America – this coming from me, a guy who used to swear by DD coffee as best in the country.
Nov 27, 2012
it is pretty good coffee , but starbucks has good coffee, cubans have good coffee. variety is good coffee.
Nov 27, 2012
"Congratulations! World's best cup of coffee! Great job guys!" Will Ferrel-Elf.
Nov 27, 2012
Considering they can't be found here in the PacNorthwest I don't see how they can claim that true. Their coffee is alright but certainly nothing to write home about.
Nov 27, 2012
I travel all over all the time. I do think that Dunkin makes the best coffee. When McD changed there coffee they made it worse. An insider told me that the change was to cut cost rather than better the coffee. There some coffee shops that brew Farmer Bros which I find to be rather excellent. In the coffee business, go on line to Krupp and Braun and learn how to brew and make coffee. I think you will enjoy it! I do agree that the patient office did the right thing. The purpose of a patient is to prevent other people from using it or to be able to license it.
Nov 27, 2012
It tastes as if there is some additive in it!
Nov 27, 2012
That had to have been some bad service you got at DD to want to go to McD's over them. I got a coffee at McD's, sipped it, filled it with sugar, sipped it again, dumped it in the bathroom sink and filled it with water.
Nov 27, 2012
I used to love Dunkin Donuts hot coffee. Went there every morning for like ten years. However the past 3 years its coffee taste watered down and not worth the money.
Nov 27, 2012
To me and my house the BEST coffee hands down. Me and my husband have been long time coffee drinkers and will buy nothing but Dunkins…JMO.
Nov 27, 2012
to just say that your coffee is the best is arrogance and shouldn't be trademarkable.
Nov 27, 2012
Many local roasters will disagree and be correct. True Stone Coffee out of St. Paul is my choice.
Nov 27, 2012
Worst customer service I have ever received. Plus they drown their coffee in creamer which it makes taste milkie. I started going back to Starbucks!
Nov 27, 2012
I agree with you about DD being better than Star-yucks. Any coffee is better than that bitter, burnt, blech.
Nov 28, 2012
Who told DD that their coffee was the best coffee? It had to be the cops. They are the only people I have ever seen by the store.
Dec 8, 2012
Jeff Hafer, but dunkin tried to register their patent as the best coffee in America. So therefore they had every right to reject it. They didn't want to be blamed for registering a false title. Other US coffees are just as good, if not better than Dunkin's. If they had a different claim or title the US Patent office may have went with it.
Dec 8, 2012
Now if they had said, the hottest coffee in America! Then yes! They are the only place that I have ever had coffee in to where I HAD to put ice in to cool it down in order to drink it.