McPatel Takes McDonald’s to Court Over 'Mc' Prefix, Claims Cultural Identity at Stake

An Indian fast-food company, McPatel Foods Pvt Ltd, is battling McDonald's in court over the use of the prefix "Mc". McPatel argues "Mc" signifies "son of" and honors the Patel community, refusing to relinquish it.

An Ahmedabad-based startup is taking on fast-food behemoth McDonald’s in a legal tussle that’s as much about identity as it is about branding. McPatel Foods Pvt Ltd, the maker of Ohh! Potato French fries, has filed a case in court after being warned by McDonald’s to stop using the prefix ‘Mc’ — something the Indian firm says it won’t give up without a fight.

“Mc means ‘son of’. McPatel is just that — the son of Patel,” said senior advocate HS Tolia, who’s representing the homegrown company. “We’ve used this name to honour the Patel community. It's not just a brand, it's cultural.”

Trouble began when McDonald’s sent a legal notice, warning McPatel to drop the ‘Mc’ or face legal consequences. The global chain argued that the prefix is integral to their brand recognition and cannot be used by others in the food industry.

Following protocol, McDonald’s began mediation proceedings in the Delhi High Court — which McPatel participated in — but the talks hit a dead end. “McDonald’s wouldn’t budge,” said Tolia. “They insisted we give up using ‘Mc’ entirely. That’s when we decided to take legal action ourselves.”

McPatel filed a suit in the Ahmedabad rural court under Section 142 of the Trademarks Act, which allows businesses to seek protection from unjustified legal threats.

“Our case is simple,” said Tolia. “Mc is a generic prefix used across the world — from McCoy to McDreamy — and no single company can claim monopoly over it.”

The court has now issued a notice to McDonald’s and scheduled the next hearing for July 28.