NEW DELHI: Fast food giant Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has approached the Delhi High Court to challenge Massive Restaurants Private Limited’s attempt to trademark the name “Nashville Fried Chicken”.
KFC has filed both a rectification application and a legal suit against the company, which runs Nashville Fried Chicken (NFC) as well as several popular restaurant chains such as Farzi Cafe, Pa Pa Ya, Masala Library, and Louis Burger.
During the hearing, Justice Amit Bansal issued a notice to Massive Restaurants and asked them to respond. The next hearing is scheduled for May 28.
KFC’s lawyer, Shwetashree Majumder, argued that the name NFC is too similar to KFC and could easily mislead the public. She explained that both brands sell fried chicken, and people might wrongly assume they are linked.
Majumder also pointed out that the Delhi High Court had previously stopped other businesses from using ‘FC’ when selling fried chicken. She referred to a 2024 ruling where the court ordered a brand called ‘Ali Fried Chicken’ to change its name following KFC’s complaint. She further claimed that KFC should be given stronger legal protection as a “well-known trademark”.
According to Indian law (Section 2(1)(zg) of the Trade Marks Act, 1999), a well-known trademark is one that is widely recognised by a large section of the public. If someone else uses the name on unrelated products or services, it might cause confusion. Majumder said KFC clearly fits this definition because of its long-standing presence and strong advertising.
KFC, which came to India in 1995, now runs over 600 outlets across the country. Its red-and-white branding, the face of Colonel Sanders, and the slogan “finger lickin’ good” are familiar to many Indians, especially in cities.
The company owns many registered trademarks in India that cover a range of products and services. Although the Registrar has not officially listed KFC as a “well-known trademark” under Section 11(6), Indian courts have often treated major global brands like KFC as well-known when handling trademark disputes.